Trixie, The Origin
by soulful dreamer
Summary: Bellatrix Black, eldest daughter of Cygnus and Druella Black, is on the precipice of the rest of her life. Her choices become feast or famine, and she has no intention of starving.
1. Chapter One

Blood hummed through her veins as she stood on the outcropping of rock overlooking Hogwarts. Between her spot on the rocks and the castle, the Black Lake stretched; its glassy surface reflected the expanse of stars in the sky. The waxing moon hung low in the sky behind the castle, barely more than a haze on the horizon.

This was it. The final stand. For them all.

An alert had sounded through Hogsmeade. Potter was here. Where Potter went, so did the Dark Lord. And where the Dark Lord went, so did she.

The truth was, Bellatrix Lestrange would give anything to be anywhere but here.

The order came whispered from between his lips, an order that she could not disobey.

"Begin."

* * *

"What about Evan Rosier?"

"He's my first cousin," she snapped. Her patience was growing thin. Bellatrix thought she'd made it clear that he was dismissed once they were finished. Instead, he lingered.

He always lingered.

Laying on her naked stomach, Bella's eyes flitted across the parchment in her hands. The _Pureblood Directory_ , a comprehensive list of the pure blood families in the wizarding world. Her eyes scanned the family names, finding each one familiar. Some said the pureblood families had been inbred, just to keep lines pure. She didn't find that to be true. The very thought of it—marrying someone like Evan or Sirius or Regulus—made her ill.

"I could kill him, you know." He leaned over, taking advantage of her prone position to press a kiss to her bare left shoulder blade. "Then you could marry me."

Bella flipped over quickly, allowing a dark laugh to escape from between her lips. "Corban Yaxley and Bellatrix Black?" She shook her head, then turned back to the directory. "You do realize if you kill him, they'll probably pass me off to his brother, Rabastan."

It wasn't the first time that he'd alluded to wanting to marry her. The truth was that she would be too much for Yaxley. He wouldn't be able to handle her. And he had no position in life, nothing to offer her. Even if she wanted to, her father would never agree to the match. She needed someone to match her in fervor, someone who held a position with the Dark Lord.

Because everything came back to the Dark Lord.

She'd admired him from afar for a long time. From the time she was a child, she knew he was special. Her father, Cygnus Black, often held parties, and the Dark Lord himself made a point of attending. The same went for the Lestranges. They had a rapport with him. Rodolphus's parents had gone to Hogwarts with him.

And while his servants were primarily men, Bellatrix had ambitions of her own. She wanted to prove that women could do just as much, if not more, than men.

"What of Malfoy?"

Bella was growing annoyed with him. "What of him?"

"He seems to be of a well standing family and not nearly as bad as the Lestranges."

Indeed. Lucius was a talented wizard, one with promise and status within pureblood circles. "He's been promised."

"Like that matters if you set your sights on him—"

"He's promised to my younger sister," she said, sharply. "I'll hear no more of it." She was beyond annoyed with him. She was angry that he thought he could give his opinion to her so freely. She'd been too lenient with him. "Leave."

Shock crossed his features. "But—"

"Out. _Now_." Her nostrils flared. This was the problem with letting people close. They thought they had some right to your life. They got attached when they shouldn't. When he didn't move, she grabbed her wand.

Knowing that he could very well lose his most precious parts, Yaxley darted toward his clothes. He dressed quickly, before exiting the Room of Requirement. When the door shut, Bella grabbed a pillow and pressed it to her face. She let out a shrill scream into the pillow, before throwing it violently at the doorway he'd just disappeared through.

Tomorrow, Bellatrix would be taking the Hogwarts Express back to London for the summer, her final before finishing school. At the end of it, when she turned seventeen, her father was hosting a party for her induction into pure blood society. It would be the night her engagement to one Rodolphus Lestrange would be announced. She had two and a half months before then. Two and a half months in which to convince her father that she didn't need to be married; didn't want to be married.

Two and a half months to end the engagement before it began.

Challenge accepted.

* * *

The hallways were deserted and dark by the time Bellatrix slipped into the Slytherin common room and followed the corridor that led to her dormitory. Yaxley had mentioned on more than one occasion that he didn't understand why they met in the Room of Requirement. It was almost cute, the innocence he claimed. The truth was that Bella didn't want her two younger sisters to know about her extracurricular activities. It was none of their business to begin with, but she also wanted to make sure they knew that she was doing her best for them. The last thing she wanted was for them to think she was getting distracted by a boy.

There was a lump in her bed already. She bit back the smile threatening at the corner of her lips. "Dromeda," she whispered, shaking her younger sister's shoulder. Andromeda didn't budge. Water lapped loudly against the window nearest her bed. She peered toward the glass, finding the moonlight casting hauntingly beautiful images of the bottom of the Black Lake.

 _What a strange feeling_ , Bella thought as she walked around the four-poster bed and toward the window. Thick bushes swayed beneath the water of the lake, suspended like dolls on strings. She watched them float back and forth, back and forth, dancing with the current under the water. Suddenly, the outline of a face formed in the ray of moonlight. She didn't recognize the person—for the features were so undefined she could not tell if it was a woman or man.

 _Bellatrix—_

Its mouth wasn't moving. She scanned the dormitory for anyone that might be speaking. All of the girls were sound asleep.

 _Bellatrix—_

Her head snapped back to the window.

 _You will be his greatest ally. You will sell your soul for him. But he will love you, better than any other._

"Who?" She whispered, pressing her palm against the cold glass. "The Dark Lord?"

 _Take heed, Bellatrix, for your love of him has the power to destroy all else._

"What? Who?!" Her hushed voice was louder than she expected. The face stared at her.

"Bells?"

Her head snapped to look at her sister, who was blinking awake. She turned back to the window, but the face was gone. The room fell silent. Instead, she turned her attention to the person in her bed.

"Shh, go back to sleep," Bella said, brushing Dromeda's long, black hair from her face. The resemblance between them was uncanny. Whereas Narcissa inherited their mother's fair features—light eyes and light hair, Bellatrix and Andromeda were on the darker side. Each had long, dark hair, with skin kissed skin. At least, Dromeda's skin was sun-kissed. She spent far more time in the sun than her older sister. They had the same nose and chin. The only difference was their eyes. Dromeda's were blue, like Cissy's. But Bella's were unique. They were a rich, golden color. Sometimes they looked like melted caramel, other times they glittered like jewels. So far, she had yet to meet anyone with eyes like hers.

"Are you just getting in?" Andromeda questioned, sleep making her tongue heavy.

Bella didn't respond. Instead, she stripped out of her clothes and slipped on a nightgown.

"What's that?" Her younger sister reached across to the night stand, where Bella had placed the Pureblood Directory. She slid her thin fingers down the long list of families, blinking further into alertness. "Rodolphus Lestrange." The eldest Black daughter reached for Dromeda, intent on grabbing the parchment from her hand, but her sister was much quicker. "Why is his name scratched out so viciously?"

"Is it?" Bella feigned ignorance.

"This is about your engagement." Dromeda sat up, that inquisitive look in her eyes. "He can't be _that_ bad."

Bella considered her sister's words. How could she explain her distaste for the man she was meant to marry? She thought over their interactions, however few they were. Growing up, they were forced into the same circles. Forced to interact. And at Hogwarts, he'd been a sixth year when she was a first. Hardly appropriate to even attempt to get to know him. He was arrogant and boorish. "He's the _worst_ ," she blurted. "He's just like Father." She would be signed off like a brood mare to this man. Five years older, with a reputation of women thousands of pages long. He was the worst sort of pureblood.

"Pop out a son or two and then he'll never touch you again." Dromeda set the papers aside. "Besides, you still have a while."

"Scoot over," Bella replied.

"You could convince Daddy to throw a party for all of the young purebloods. Sleep with the one you like, let him get you pregnant, and then bam, Rodolphus won't want you."

Bellatrix scowled at her younger sister as she climbed into the bed beside her. If only. She wished she had the time and energy to have fun in her last months of freedom. The truth was, there was far too much to do. She had to remain on the path. She would have to work to get in favor with the Dark Lord. She fully intended on receiving her dark mark the moment she finished school. How could she do that if she were expected to be a proper pureblood wife?

Her feather mattress sunk a few inches as Andromeda curled up beside her, as they'd done since they were small children. The two girls tucked close together. Bella allowed her eyelids to close, trying to force the tension in her shoulders to go away.

When she thought that her sister had long been asleep, she heard Andromeda whisper, "We could run away, you know." Bella's eyes snapped open. "The two of us. Never worry about Father or Mother or this pureblood madness ever again."

Andromeda yawned, then rolled over, her back to Bella. In moments, her breathing evened and she was out cold.

 _If only you could outrun your destiny._


	2. Chapter Two

They didn't come to the train station. Of course they didn't. Instead, they sent _him._

"Don't look so glum, beloved." A mischievous grin was plastered across his face as Rodolphus Lestrange helped Narcissa with her trunk. Dromeda had already packed up her cart and was rolling toward the exit.

His words didn't bother Bella, no. It was the taunting lilt of his voice; the one that said he was fucking with her because he could. "On babysitting duty now, Rodolphus?" Though she kept her eyes locked on the task at hand (securing her owl's cage to the cart), her back was rigid and her entire body was tense.

Why had they sent _him_?

"Actually, it was your father's idea. He thought it would be good for us to spend some time together." Bella caught sight of the gleam in his eye. She shivered at the very idea of spending time with him. "He and your mother left for Cornwall, where we will go tomorrow. We're staying in London tonight before departing."

"Why?" She questioned, suspicious. This didn't sound like something her father would orchestrate.

"Do you honestly have to question _everything,_ Bella?" Cissy cut in, shoving her cart in the direction Andromeda disappeared. Her youngest sister was easiest to annoy, and as much as she did annoy Bella, she couldn't help but feel a fierce need to protect her. To protect both of her younger sisters.

Bella looked up at Rodolphus, towering some half a foot above her. "Let's get one thing clear," she said, trying to keep her tone even. " _I_ am in charge when it comes to my sisters. We'll go to Cornwall tonight." Without giving him a chance to respond, Bella shoved her cart after Narcissa.

Oh, but he wasn't going to accept that.

Rodolphus grabbed her upper arm, forcing her to bite back a scream by the grip he held on her. She turned toward him, her cheeks hot and eyes shooting figurative daggers. "Let me be clear," he said through gritted teeth. "While you and your sisters are under my supervision, _I_ will be the one making decisions." She glanced around the immediate area, taking note of a few eyes on them. Struggling against his grip would only cause more of a scene than there already was, and Bella would not cause a scene. Not here, where everyone she knew could see. "We stay in London tonight. Then, in the morning, we will go to Cornwall. Your father has ordered for you and your sisters to remain _away_."

Suddenly, she understood. If her father was so adamant, to the point that Rodolphus felt he had to obey, it must be something to do with the Dark Lord. That only made her want to go even more. "Let. Go. Of. Me." Her voice was low; low only so that he could hear. The business of the platform drowned her out to anyone who might be listening. The pressure on her arm released. She glared at him, then yanked her arm away.

Tension filled the air as she stared at him, wishing that she could stab him in the eye with a dagger.

"Bella?"

Bellatrix snapped to look at Dromeda. The hard expression on her face softened at the concern written across her sister's face. "We're coming," she said, pushing the cart toward the exit. She ignored the unasked question on Andromeda's lips, then led the way out, Rodolphus strolling casually behind.

* * *

By the time the three sisters settled into their room at The Leaky Cauldron, Bella was sufficiently annoyed. Dusk had arrived in full force, casting long shadows across the windows of the inn. She needed space to breathe-to think-about the implications behind her father's choice of escort. While she'd known from a very early age that she was betrothed to Rodolphus, it didn't feel real until the moment she climbed from the train and he was standing on the platform, smiling at her with his rat bastard grin.

"I need some air," Bella said to the inquisitive glance of Dromeda. Narcissa was sprawled across the second bed in the room, ignoring both of her sisters. It was better this way; for Cissy to not depend on her. She thought she heard Dromeda say, 'be careful' as she closed the door to their shared room. It wasn't ideal by any means. The three of them had been expecting to return to Black's Manor in London where they each had their own large rooms, not to be shoved together in a suite at the Leaky Cauldron.

The staircase creaked beneath her feet as she descended into the vast, open room of the pub. It was full of people. Families reunited after a year of schooling, couples with their heads close together, singles at the bar taking large gulps of firewhiskey and talking far too loud all filled the room. She would find no peace here.

Bella slipped her wand from the sewed pocket on her sleeve as she pressed through the crowd and noise. She stopped short, finding Rodolphus leaning in to whisper something in the ear of the pretty blonde girl seated next to him at the table in the dark corner. She scowled unattractively and headed for the back exit that led to Diagon Alley.

Twilight had truly fallen as she emerged on the narrow, cobblestone street that wound between the several storied buildings. Hanging signs identified which shop was which. Bella was used to seeing flocks of people about, but as the day neared its end, most everyone was dispersing for their own lodgings. She could imagine family dinners at homes; parents talking to their children about their school year. That was never the case at Black Manor.

Druella took her dinners alone in her sitting room, Cygnus in his study. The sisters would sometime dine together. Dromeda would often bring her tray to Bella's room and they would share with one another. But never as a whole family. If they were having large dinner parties, the girls would be invited, but those parties were mostly for showing their strength as members of the Most Noble and Ancient House of Black. It wasn't as though she wished for those things with her parents.

No, the less time she had to spend with her parents, the better.

Bellatrix meandered down the street, reveling in the cool breeze that made the signs sway back and forth. People avoided her as she walked. She had that effect on people, and it didn't bother her.

As she neared Florean Fortescue's, Bella noticed two familiar forms further down the lane. Rachel Lupin, younger sister of Sirius's friend Remus, was with another Gryffindor. Rachel was mousy haired, plain faced, and a little pudgy around the middle. At least, according to Narcissa's assessment. The other girl, however, was beautiful. Or at least she would be, if she put time into her appearance. Quinn Cromwell was a year or so younger than Bella, and had caused quite a stir when she arrived at Hogwarts suddenly last year. American, which was incredibly unusual. She transferred from Ilvermony, something to do with dead parents and her only living grandmother being here in the UK. Odd girl. Talked a lot. Had a boyfriend, didn't she? A Ravenclaw?

Bella narrowed her eyes as she watched the two of them continue down the lane, thinking of all that she knew of the girl. Honestly, not much. She'd never had a reason to speak to her, but it was hard to ignore Cissy's incessant complaining about Hogwarts gossip. The girls finally disappeared around the corner of a shop at the end. She paused, noting that the sky had darkened considerably.

The sooner she got to bed tonight, the sooner they could put London behind them. Just the thought of the beach near the manor in Cornwall was enough to warm her sullen mood.

"Bells?"

As she turned to find the source of the voice, Bella furrowed her eyebrows. "Sirius?"

Her younger cousin looked...ragged. There were dark circles beneath his eyes and his hair was quite a big shaggier than she remembered. It hadn't been that long since she'd seen him...had it? Of course, Sirius managed to miss most major school events, except for Quidditch, because, Merlin bless it, he wasn't going to miss cheering on his best mate, James Potter.

"What are you doing here?" he questioned, taking a hesitant step toward her while he ran a hand through his dark hair.

"Just taking a walk," she responded, crossing her arms over her chest as a chilly breeze blew by. "We leave in the morning for Cornwall." Sirius was different. Like Dromeda. She'd always had a soft spot for him. "I could speak to Aunt Walburga. You know my father is having a ball at our house for my birthday. You could come stay-" With each word that came out of her mouth, his expression grew dimmer.

"Ah, Bells, I can't," he said, glancing down the street. "Listen, I've gotta be somewhere."

"Right, well, I guess I'll see you, then."

"Right." He turned, but hesitated and looked back at her. "Take care of yourself, Bells."

Bella flashed him a grin. "Someone's got to, right?" Sirius responded with a sad smile, then turned on his heel and hurried away. There was something in his eyes in that last moment, something that put an ill feeling in her stomach.

* * *

Not in the least bit tired, Bella found an empty table at the Leaky Cauldron and sat down, her back in a corner. The pub was still busy, but not nearly as crowded as it had been earlier. She picked up her glass and took a deep sip of dragon barrel brandy. The burn was welcomed as the liquid ran down her throat and settled into her belly. She closed her eyes, feeling the alcohol flooding her veins. It was her second one, and she was already tipsy. How, one might ask, did a sixteen year old girl get served liquor in a pub? Easy. She was a Black. Tom, the young barkeep, dared not refuse her, though he did dare to flirt with her.

In all honesty, she was still steaming over being left out of whatever was happening at the manor in Cornwall. Her father knew, he _knew_ she sought out favor with the Dark Lord. Why would he keep her away?

Well, it was simple, really, but she wouldn't think about it. Not now. Because Rodolphus Lestrange had pep in his step as he reached the bottom floor and set his sights on her. The pretty blonde from earlier came strolling down a moment later, gazing longingly behind him as she wiped the corners of her mouth and adjusted her skirt.

 _Ugh. Could he be any more disgusting?_

There was a difference between screwing around for fun and screwing around for sport. Rodolphus was all about the latter. There were lists, _lists!_ , of girls from Hogwarts that he'd conquered and left out to dry the next day. It was revolting, to think that she would be tied to him forever.

Marriage for purebloods had purpose. Heirs. Continuing the pureblood line. But it also had tradition. An unbreakable vow would be made at their wedding, whereupon she would vow to take no other to her bed. The husband made no such vow. It was sickening. Men.

"Aw, it's my little woman," Rodolphus said as he sat down heavily in the chair next to hers at the table. He motioned to Tom for a drink, never taking his cold, blue eyes off of her. "Miss me, pet?" His mouth twisted into a grin once more as the barkeep wandered over with two shot-glasses of firewhiskey.

Bella didn't deem to answer him. _Love, honor, and obey._ Those were words in the unbreakable vow, but how could she ever love a monster like him? Like her father?

All pureblood men were the same.

Why did she have to marry at all?

Rodolphus knocked back one shot after the other and raised a hand for another round. Tom immediately jumped to serve him. Like the Blacks, the Lestranges weren't to be refused. "So, are you just going to sit here glowering at me? Or would you rather scurry up to your room and continue babysitting your sisters?" He was just trying to get a rise out of her now. "Or, I could take you up to my room and assist you in actually enjoying your night." He lifted an eyebrow suggestively.

"I'd take babysitting my sisters over you any day," Bella said in a low voice, double checking to make sure her wand was secure in its place. Just in case. "Besides-" She lifted her glass and took a sip of the brandy. "-I'm certain you wouldn't know how to entertain me."

"Because Yaxley is so good at entertaining you?"

Bella snapped her attention to look at him, her eyes wide. How in the world had he found out?! Fucking Yaxley! That idiot can't keep his mouth shut.

That rat bastard grin slithered across his face once more. "Really, darling, Yaxley," he said, knocking back another shot of firewhiskey. "I thought you'd be fucking one of those Gryffindor boys you're so fond of by now, trying to make me angry...or jealous." He tossed a glance at her. She attempted to school her features into indifference, but it was hard to hide the flush that had come to her pale cheeks.

"Come now, _sweetheart_ , seems to me the only one who's jealous is you, considering you can't touch me until the wedding. You've been with every single piece of tail in London, and I'm the only one you can't have." She made a point of taking a large gulp of the drink, swallowing it quickly. If this conversation persisted, she would need several more. "Pity."

Rodolphus leaned onto the table, moving closer to her. "See, there you go, Trixie, getting defensive. You're assuming that I have emotions. It doesn't matter to me if you fuck a tree, at the end of the day...you belong to me." He reached a thin finger to turn her chin so she would look at him. "Every little scrawny, stiff inch of that little body that I can't touch." His blue eyes revealed an intensity, a determination. It struck fear in the pit of her belly. Fear that she could not show, lest he use it against her. "You know that whole... _obey_ your husband thing-" He dropped his hand and leaned back in the chair, smiling that signature grin once more. "And you, pet, you won't be able to fuck anyone after the wedding. Beside me, while I, as you so articulately put it, have every piece of tail in London." He punctuated his speech with another shot.

Bella stared blackly across the room as she finished her drink. How? How did he know what words to say to get beneath her skin? Why was he so good at it? "I belong to no one," she said, her jaw clenching at the very idea of someone else attempting to control her.

"Oh no, pet, make _no_ mistake about it. You _do_ belong to me. If you don't remember the laws under an unbreakable vow in pureblood marriage, you may wish to go back to etiquette school." She saw him staring at her from the corner of her eye. "Punishable by death...if I remember correctly."

No, she didn't need reminding. All she wanted was control of her own life. She _had_ to find a way to end this betrothal. She couldn't marry him.

"Don't worry, Trixie, after you pop out a brood of little bastards, I won't touch you again. Then you can find other ways of getting yourself off. Try trees. Fuck, I'll build you a forest myself."

Bella had been eyeing the pack of cigarettes on the table for some time. They weren't hers, but damn she'd been craving one from the moment she walked in. They were a muggle novelty or something. She grabbed one to give her something to do with her hands. As soon as she lit it, Rodolphus reached over and took it from her hand.

"I don't like my property tasting like cigarettes." He took a long pull on it before exhaling. She seethed as she looked up at him across the table. He knew there was nothing that she could do. If she did, she'd have to answer to higher powers than her parents. Higher powers that she needed to gain favor with. And Rodolphus knew it. "I intend on letting you live a _long_ life, Trixie, as my little woman. Taking care of my every need. Raising my _many_ children. Being the perfect presentable wife."

She growled at him. An actual growl came from between her clenched teeth. "Fuck off."

Rodolphus took a pointed drag of the cigarette before stubbing it out on the wooden table top. "One day, you'll learn where your place is, Trixie. But I won't be the one to teach you. I like my girls feisty."

"I won't apologize for not being like my mother or Narcissa. I won't accept my lot in life as easily as they have." She shoved the chair back and stood too quickly. Her vision swam from the effects of the alcohol. She had to get out of there. She needed to get as far away from him as she could as fast as possible. He'd done exactly what he'd intended, she could see it written all over his face: he wanted to get her riled up. She moved past the table, stumbling slightly as she reached the bottom of the staircase.

 _Bed. Bed. Bed._ That was her only focus as she climbed up the first few stairs. She thought so much about bed that she missed a step and slipped backwards. A pair of warm arms caught her firmly around the middle. Then, her back was being pressed hard into the wall. Rodolphus held her tightly in place, challenging her to struggle against him.

"I _like_ that you're not like your mother, Trixie," he growled, his breath a mix of firewhiskey and smoke on her lips. "Where's the fun in you rolling over and taking it?" She'd never wanted to murder someone more. "It just means that you're more like me than you would like to admit." That now familiar smirk crossed his lips and he roughly assisted her up the stairs. Just before they reached the door to the room she was sharing with her sisters, he pushed her back against the wall and then pressed his lips against hers. Hard.

It wasn't a good feeling, not being in control.

Before she could shove him off, he'd stepped away, his intense eyes staring into hers. "Good night, pet." Then he stalked off toward the far end of the corridor, leaving her seething after him.

In that moment, Bella promised herself that she'd murder him on their wedding night before he ever had the chance to touch her like that again.


	3. Chapter Three

There was something soothing about being near the ocean. Dorminack Manor perched high on a cliff in the Cornish countryside, surrounded by gardens overflowing with flowers, fountains, and annoying creatures that never seemed to go away no matter how much magic was used. Night and day, the roars of the crashing waves below were the soundtrack of Bellatrix's summer so far. The first two weeks were honestly a blur.

Bella allowed her guard to drop. The moment that Rodolphus Lestrange left the manor, she felt the tension in her shoulders release. She felt breath come more easily. It was as if the dark cloud hanging over her disappeared with his exit. Now, she could allow herself a break. Bella ate breakfast on the first floor veranda overlooking the ocean each morning. Sometimes her sisters would join her, sometimes she would eat alone. She enjoyed the shadowy porch on brisk summer mornings in the countryside with hot coffee to warm the chill in her bones.

Something was happening today. Instead of a solitary breakfast, her mother and father had joined her at the small table and shared the meal in silence. She would catch glimpses of her mother looking at her from the corner of her eye. Her father, however, had a much more direct approach. He stared at her. When he took a bite of food or drink, his eyes never strayed far. The attention he was paying to her set her nerves on end. He only did that when something was about to happen.

But what, Bella could never predict.

"You're looking refreshed, Bellatrix," her mother finally said after the tenth minute of silence. "The countryside looks good on you."

It was always backhanded compliments with Druella. "Thank you, Mother," she said coldly before taking a sip of her coffee.

"I have no doubt that you are wondering why we decided to join you this morning," Cygnus said. All pretense was gone. If it were anyone else, she would have given a sarcastic comment, but her father was a volatile man. The last thing that she wanted was to ruin her day before breakfast was over. "We are hosting a dinner party this evening for several prominent families." She waited with baited breath, not looking up at him in fear of the next part. There was always a next part. "The Malfoys, Lestranges, and several other pure families will be coming to discuss important matters." He cleared his throat. "With the Dark Lord."

Bella's eyes shot up to look at her father. He was staring at her with cold eyes; eyes that were devoid of any feeling. She turned back to her plate, forking the bacon. Her appetite was gone. "I assume this is to be a warning, then," she said, carefully choosing each word. "Should I and my sisters remain in our rooms?"

"No."

This time, she couldn't avoid the shock in her face as she looked back up at him. Could this be it? Was it possible that her chance to impress the Dark Lord had come?

"Andromeda and Narcissa are to remain away, but…" He seemed very uncomfortable at whatever it was that he had to say. "He has requested your presence."

 _He_. There were so many implications to that simple word. She wouldn't get her hopes up because she knew better. "Father, I've spent more than enough time with Rodolphus—"

"Not him, you insolent girl," Druella hiss-whispered. "Voldemort."

A chill went through her, and then her stomach began to flutter. "I will be certain to thank him for his kindness."

"Good," Cygnus said. "I expect you to be on your best behavior." Bella thought it was the end of that. "Also, regarding Rodolphus and his family. They are welcome guests in this home. Should he wish to spend time with you, you will not refuse him. You will treat him with the respect he deserves as a—"

"Proper pureblooded male," Bella finished for him with a roll of her eyes.

The next thing she knew, the back of her father's hand struck her cheek, sending her out of her chair. She caught herself before any major body parts slammed the floor. Her hand subconsciously rose to her stinging cheek. She dared not look at him as she pushed to her feet and sat back down in her chair as though nothing had happened.

"Daddy?"

Bella's heart dropped at the sound of Dromeda's voice. She could see her sister standing in the doorway out of the corner of her eye, still in her dressing robe. Shit. She should have held her tongue. She knew better, so why did she always let her tongue loose?

"Go inside, Andromeda. I'm speaking with your sister."

Normally, her sisters would follow a direct order from Cygnus without a second thought. This time, however, Dromeda didn't. "Why did you hit her?"

Bella dared a glance at her father, whose cold stare sent her heart racing beneath her breast. This wasn't the end of it. "Druella," Cygnus ordered. Then, her mother climbed to her feet and quickly ushered Andromeda back into the house, against her sister's protests. Meanwhile, her father took a measured moment, sipping at his coffee before setting it back down pointedly on the table. "Why do you think I made Rodolphus keep you in London?" She didn't dare answer. He did it for her. "Because I can't trust you to behave. You have always had a rebellious streak, Bellatrix, and I have tried my damndest to stamp it out of you. You hate authority. Yet you wish to enter the service of the Dark Lord. How am I to ever trust that you can respect his orders if you refuse to respect mine?"

Biting back her retort, Bella lowered her gaze. "I apologize, Father," she said.

"That's a step in the right direction," he acknowledged. "Rodolphus Lestrange is to be your husband. You know what your duties entail. We need this union to maintain our position. It was Voldemort who suggested it when your mother gave birth to you. _He_ specifically chose you to wed Rodolphus. I expect for you to do everything in your power to maintain this union, no matter your personal feelings on the subject."

Finally, the ' _why him'_ question was answered. The Dark Lord had hand picked her to marry the son of his oldest friend.

"Short of bedding him, I expect you to give Rodolphus what he wants. Because if he tells the Dark Lord anything different, it will reflect poorly on me."

Bella's jaw was clenched. She couldn't find a proper response, so she just nodded curtly. Her father let out an annoyed groan, wiped his mouth with his napkin, and then left Bella alone on the veranda, her cheek still stinging.

* * *

Even hours later, a clear mark remained on her face. No matter what she tried to get rid of it, it wouldn't go away. Her healing spells were mediocre at best, and she didn't have the nerve to ask for help from her mother. She sat before the dressing table in her room, staring blankly at her reflection. After breakfast, Bella retreated to her room. She didn't want to see either of her parents, but she certainly didn't want to come face to face with Andromeda. She didn't think she could explain it away. Not now that her sister had seen their father's physical blow.

Bella finally turned to look at the copious amounts of makeup scattered across her desk. She rarely wore it. She was a natural beauty, with her dark hair, pale skin, and unique eyes, makeup normally dulled her looks. Tonight would require something to cover the red mark.

"I can help," came Dromeda's soft voice from the door. Bella didn't even look up. She heard the door click closed and her sister's soft feet padding across the room.

"I locked that door," Bella said, not looking up.

"I'm good with a wand." She could hear the smile in her sister's voice. Then felt her standing just over her shoulder. Dromeda reached out a hesitant hand and placed it on Bella's shoulder. "Bells."

She couldn't. She could not look at her. She could not acknowledge what her sister had seen. So, instead, she stood up and crossed to her large closet. "I've been invited to dinner this evening. I was thinking about the purple gown," she tossed over her shoulder.

"We need to talk about this, Bells."

"Purple compliments me, don't you think?" Why? Why did Andromeda have to make a big deal out of this? She grabbed the sequined gown from the rack and carried it back into the bedroom.

Dromeda stood there, staring at her with wide eyes. "Has he hit you before?"

Bella hung the dress on her dressing screen and moved back to the dressing table. "You said you came in to help," she said, her tone hard. "Then do something about it." Her sister let out a sigh and motioned for Bella to turn toward her. Within minutes, the spot on her cheek was gone.

The silence between them was heavy. Bella didn't know what to do, so she turned back to the mirror and began to arrange her long, curly hair into an updo. It would make her look older, and, hopefully, more serious about her intention to be a part of the movement behind the Dark Lord.

Andromeda's hand came down gently on Bella's shoulder and gave a quick squeeze. Bella had to bite her bottom lip to contain the welling emotion in her throat. She couldn't lose it. Not now. She had to be strong. For her sisters. For herself. Another moment passed and then Dromeda was gone, but not before she fixed her sister with a determined stare. Whatever was going on in her head, Bella wanted to warn her against it. But she feared that she couldn't.

The guests began arriving at eight. First Aunt Walburga and Uncle Orion, with Regulus in tow. Then Abraxas Malfoy and his son, Lucius. Then a string of other lesser houses. Of course, Bella remained out of sight while all of this was occurring. She preferred to stay away to avoid any ill interaction with her father.

It was the enchanted mirror that kept her abreast of new arrivals. When she and Sirius were younger, barely students at Hogwarts, they cast a spell on the small mirror in the entryway. It could be a two-way mirror, but only if the person knew the proper spell. They were lucky the underage magic rules were rarely enforced. Otherwise, she would have been expelled from Hogwarts a hundred times over.

When the mirror reflected Rodolphus and his parents, Bellatrix decided it was time to make her entrance. She checked her appearance once more to ensure not a single hair was out of place. Tonight could be her big break. Everything had to go perfectly. She held her head high and her shoulders straight, as a proper pureblood woman should, as she reached the top of the staircase. Most of the guests were still milling about the entryway making small talk.

All conversation ceased as she appeared. Every eye was on her. The dark purple dress hugged her curves but didn't bother trying to hide anything. The sequins had taken weeks for the house elves to sew when she demanded it to be made. She'd been saving it for something important, something like tonight. The bateau neckline allowed her to showcase her femininity while accentuating her strong, confident shoulders. The long sleeves were a personal preference; a security measure to make her feel more comfortable. Bella allowed a small smirk to form on her pouty lips before making her descent. She took measured breaths as her eyes glanced from person to person. Her mother to Aunt Walburga. To Regulus, who was grinning at her, and then Lucius, who seemed at a loss for words. Even her father's eyes held a measure of pride she never saw. The last of them she dared look at (who was she kidding? She was avoiding looking at him) was Rodolphus.

While she wasn't sure what she was hoping to find, the glee written behind his cold, blue eyes was the last thing she thought would be there. He even moved to the bottom of the stairs and took her hand as she reached the main floor, pressing his hot lips against the back of it. A power play, if she ever saw one.

"Bellatrix," Rodolphus said, grinning at her.

"Rodolphus," she responded in an even tone.

Though he didn't say a word, she could feel a witty comment on the tip of his tongue. Instead of acknowledging it, she pulled her hand from his and turned toward the rest of the guests. "Aunt Walburga, it is lovely to see you," she greeted, pressing a kiss to her aunt's cheek. The woman surveyed her dress.

"My, my, she _can_ behave," Walburga muttered to Cygnus, not hiding contempt in her eyes. Her aunt was starting early this evening.

Luckily, someone more important entered the room before the two of them could lay into her. Luckily, that person was the most important person in existence. The one who would save the wizarding world from destruction.

Lord Voldemort appeared as if out of thin air. He did not abide by what was considered proper etiquette, and no one expected him to. He wore traditional, billowing black robes. Something about him seemed different to Bella. As though he'd lost something in what she once considered was a handsome face. At least, the young girl she'd been the last time she had faced this man considered him very handsome. She could be mistaken, of course. Young eyes see the world far differently than those of their wiser counterparts. He fixed her with bloodshot eyes, a smile curling at his thin lips. He moved slowly, gracefully as he turned to her father.

"Cygnus, is this your Bellatrix?" He questioned. Her father gave a brief nod.

Bella was hyper aware of all of the eyes on her now, watching, waiting to see what would come of this. He turned to her then. She offered a graceful curtsy. "Thank you for the invitation, my lord," she said, standing back to her full height and placing her hands together in front of her.

"You are the beauty I have heard about. I look forward to speaking with you. Later." At that, he turned and motioned to her father. The two of them retreated to his study down the hall.

Heart racing, Bella managed to maintain an outward sense of composure. Her mother announced something, drinks perhaps, in the drawing room, and there was a shuffling of feet and murmured voices. She took a moment in the entry hall, going over the small interaction. He'd known who she was. That had to be the best thing she'd heard in months. If she could gain his favor, perhaps she could find a way to convince him to free her from her obligations so that she may serve him faithfully.

"Miss me, Trixie?" Rodolphus said from behind her.

Bella turned slowly to face him. She let a cold expression cross her features. "Have you nothing better to do, Rodolphus? Since you're _such_ a prized Death Eater." She rolled her eyes and walked past him, after her mother and the others.

"You know the best way to gain his favor is to gain mine."

His words stopped her in his tracks. She didn't turn to look at him, unsure of what game he was playing. With Rodolphus, there was always a game. "I don't need you to do anything."

"That's where you're wrong pet," Rodolphus said, moving to stand behind her. "He and my father were best friends in school. My father has chosen to remain out of the fight publicly. Rabastan must maintain the family image as well, as first born son and heir. So who do they send to serve? Me. A second son who can accomplish a hell of a lot more than either of them."

"And you're telling me this because?"

A chill went through her body as she felt his hand on her hip, slipping slowly around her waist. "I am not your enemy, Trixie," he whispered, breath hot in her ear. "Maybe when you realize that, you'll finally learn how to get what you want."

Bella's body was rigid as he pulled her back against his chest. "And how do you know what I want?" The words came out as a mere whisper.

"You and I are the same. The sooner you get that into your pretty little head, the better." He pressed his lips against her neck, sending her pulse skyward. He flicked his tongue against the sensitive skin there, and, before she had the chance to react, he was moving briskly away from her, in the direction of the others. Her breath came in short fits; her cheeks were blazingly hot. She stared after him, watching as his figure became smaller down the distant hall. There were so many words she wanted to spew after him, but it was useless. He'd won. Again.

* * *

Dinner was a rather dull affair. The only upside to it was that she was seated beside Regulus, who was chattering on about something or other. "…At least that's what Sirius says," Regulus finished whatever speech he was on about and turned to look at her.

"And where is your brother?" Bella asked, finally relieved to have a common topic of interest.

Regulus's olive skin paled. "Uncle Cygnus didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what?" Bella asked, taking a sip of wine from her goblet. She watched her cousin glance down the table, to where their fathers sat on either side of Lord Voldemort at the head of the table. When he turned back to her, his expression was grave, his voice was low.

"Sirius ran away," Regulus said.

Bella felt the pit of her stomach drop. "He what?"

Regulus nodded, and said, "He came home to Grimmauld Place after getting off of the Hogwarts Express. He and Mum had a row. He spit in her face, denouncing the family name and everything to do with it." He glanced toward Aunt Walburga, who sat beside Druella at the opposite end of the table. "Mum blasted his name right off of the family tree."

So that night she'd seen him in Diagon Alley? He'd just walked out on his family? She turned to her plate, trying to decipher the war waging in her belly. Why would Sirius do such a thing? But the question answered itself the moment she thought it. He never approved of what the family fought for: pure bloodlines. His friends were a mix of blood traitors or mudbloods. Potter, Lupin, Pettigrew. And Evans. Lily Evans. Mudblood girl, often the pride of Hogwarts for being Muggle born and extremely bright.

Why didn't he tell her? What would she have done or said if he had?

This was difficult news for her to manage. He was a traitor. Aunt Walburga had been right to remove him from the family tree. He betrayed them all. That's what she had to tell herself to get through the remaining courses.

The moment dinner was over, she left through the veranda doors and walked the dimly lit pathway that led toward the gardens. She needed the sea breeze and clear night sky to help her cope with this news. She walked through the stone courtyard and deeper into the garden, between hedges that were nearly twice as tall as she was.

Sirius. How could she have not seen it? She always just assumed that he would come around. That the way he was feeling was temporary and when he came of age that things would cement themselves. That he would understand his responsibility to his family and his bloodline to ensure it remained. He and Regulus were the last men to have the name 'Black.' Bellatrix and her sisters could not carry the name.

The more she walked through the gardens, the angrier she became. He had every chance, every _opportunity_ in the world that she would never be afforded, and yet he turned his back on it. Did he know what she would have given to be a firstborn male in pureblood society? She would take the world for everything that she could. She would destroy her enemies and protect those dearest to her. And yet Sirius couldn't understand just what he'd given up…

Bella had wandered so far that she no longer saw the lights of the house. Instead, she found herself on the path that led down the side of the cliffs toward the beach. She slipped off her shoes and welcomed the sand beneath her bare feet, reveling in the warmth that still radiated from it from today's hot sun.

Sirius was a Black and he just gave it all up.

Bella would do no such thing. What she needed was a plan. She needed to gain favor with the Dark Lord, first and foremost. And then she would take him down. Take down the ones he left this life for. Because how dare he betray those that loved him. How dare he betray _her_? Sirius, alongside Andromeda, had been her confidante growing up. They were thick as thieves, the three of them, playing tricks and doing other mischievous things that children got up to when their parents weren't looking. Things had changed when he started Hogwarts and made new friends, but she never doubted that he would return to the family. Not once did she think she would lose him.

A popping sound broke her concentration. When Bella looked up, she found the lithe figure of her betrothed. He leaned casually against the rock face of the cliff a few feet away. "Did you know?" She demanded.

Instead of answering her question, he responded with, "You've been missed at the party."

"Oh, they'll get over it," Bella said in a low voice.

Rodolphus's features changed; he turned serious as he pushed away from the rocks. "Not the Dark Lord."

That was enough to set her into motion. Bella turned on her heel and headed back the way she'd come, up the path and into the dark gardens. Of course, Rodolphus had to follow her. "It would be quicker if I apparated—"

"No," she said. She didn't want to touch him. Didn't want him touching _her_.

"Don't be stubborn, pet. He doesn't like to be kept waiting." She opened her mouth to tell him no once more, but he grabbed her by the arm. The dark garden disappeared and then they reappeared in the brightly lit courtyard. Rodolphus had pressed himself against her and was leaning in to kiss her when a voice spoke.

"There you are." The silkiness of Lord Voldemort's voice sent her already racing heart soaring in a mixture of excitement and fear.

"My lord," she acknowledged, stepping out of Rodolphus's grasp.

"Rodolphus, good. I am glad you are both here. I have a small favor to ask of the two of you." Voldemort looked between them, giving no indication of the compromising position they'd been in the moment he found them.

"Yes, my lord," Rodolphus said, moving to stand beside Bella. He tucked a hand behind his back, standing straight.

Voldemort turned his red eyes to Bella. "Two weeks ago, an intriguing event took place in Diagon Alley. Some of my loyal followers were completing a mission near the field between Diagon and Knockturn Alleys when they were attacked by a group of school children, still dressed in their Hogwarts robes." That would have been the night Bella and her sisters stayed at the Leaky Cauldron. Curious. "My operatives have yet to discover who these children were and how they knew my men were there. They were cloaked by a spell of my own device, better than a cloak of invisibility. And yet these children knew they were there. I want names. I want to know who they are and how they discovered my followers."

Bella bowed her head respectfully. "I thank you for allowing me the opportunity to serve you, my lord," she said reverently.

The Dark Lord turned toward Rodolphus, who bowed his head as well. "I am giving you the opportunity to lead a mission, Lestrange. Work with your beloved. Bring me the information that I seek and the both of you will be rewarded greatly for your efforts."

"Yes, my lord," Rodolphus said.

Voldemort left them alone in the courtyard. Bella stared after him, analyzing the information he'd given. A long moment after, she let out a breath.

"Looks like we're going to be spending a lot more time together," Rodolphus said, giving her his rat bastard grin.

* * *

Arrangements were made for Bellatrix and Rodolphus to travel to London, the epicenter of the wizarding world. Her father had given no objection to Bella being out of his hair for a while so she could work on a mission for the Dark Lord. He almost seemed encouraging. The night before she left, Dromeda crawled into bed with her.

Bella left the double French doors open, a full moon casting light over the distant waves of the ocean. "I wish I could go with you," Dromeda said quietly.

"It's safer for you here," Bella said, gazing out of the open doors.

"Is it, though? What if Daddy gets mad at me?"

She turned to her sister, giving a sad smile. "Dromeda, he would never hurt you or Cissy, you have to know that."

"I thought I did." Dromeda was picking at a loose string on the blankets. "But then I saw him hit you."

"Listen to me. He would never raise a hand to either of you. I set him off by being sarcastic. You know he doesn't appreciate that." She felt guilty for leaving her sister feeling so uncertain. The pair fell into silence for a long moment. Bella could tell that there was more her sister wanted to say. She wished Dromeda would just come out with it. "You and Cissy should go into the village, see what sort of things you can get into while I'm away."

"Is it true, Bells? About Sirius?"

Hearing the nickname her sister and her cousin used for her sent an ache through her chest, immediately followed by a flare of anger. "Yes," Bella whispered.

"He got out."

Bella turned to look at her. "You sound like you admire him."

Andromeda's gaze shifted and she frowned, shaking her head. "I just—"

"He's a traitor, Dromeda." She sat up in the bed. "Do you know what will happen if he ever stands against us?" Her sister's eyes were wide, but far from innocent. They were full of fear. "He betrayed our family. He betrayed his duties. That can't be forgiven." Bella was reminded of their last night at Hogwarts, when Andromeda whispered that they could run away. Was she thinking of following Sirius? Would she leave Bella, too? She didn't think she could stand that heart break. "Dromeda, promise me you'll be faithful. To the family. To me." She reached a hand over, grabbing Dromeda's. "I can't lose you."

"I promise," her younger sister said, her voice sad. "Toujours pur."

"Toujours pur," Bella murmured.


	4. Chapter Four

Dinner sat on the side of the table in his room at the Leaky Cauldron, untouched. Bellatrix's appetite had been nonexistent from the moment she arrived. There was work to be done, and time couldn't be wasted on trifling things. She wanted to get into the thick of the mission and bring the Dark Lord the information that he sought.

"They think one of them has some sort of special ability that allowed the children to know the Death Eaters were nearby. Had ours known they were there, they probably would have provoked them into a fight, let's be honest. Someone knew our people were there. Someone was able to sense them." Rodolphus sat at the table, rifling through parchment.

"And what's to be done with them once they're found?" Bella was completely confident that she could get this done. It would take hard work, but she knew that she was the best person for the job.

"I can't say for sure, but typically, the Dark Lord has one of two reasons behind seeking someone out. Recruit or destroy."

The rest of the table was filled with signed testimonies of the Death Eaters involved in the attack. One even included a rough drawing of the field where it happened. "Have you been to the field?" Bella asked Rodolphus as she sat down in the hard, wooden chair. They'd been poring over sheets of parchment ever since she arrived, barely speaking. He'd tried once or twice to get a rise out of her, but she couldn't be bothered with that right now. There were more important things to do than take the bait.

Loathe as she was to work with him, she knew that they did need to work together to complete their job. "Yes," Rodolphus said as he lifted his glass from the table. "It's as described. Footprints of perhaps five to eight that were not ours. A lot of scorch marks from the use of Incendio. They used basic spells. They couldn't have been any older than you."

Bella sat back in her seat, dropping the parchment onto the copious documents. "I'd like to see it."

"There's no need." He took a large gulp of golden brown liquid and set the glass down, focusing back on the parchment in his own hand.

"You may have missed something," Bella said, staring at him. He lifted his gaze, clearly annoyed with her.

"I didn't."

With a roll of her eyes, Bella stood from her seat and marched toward the door, double checking that her wand was secure. She wrenched the door open, only to see a flash of light and have the door snatched from her hand and slammed shut. She wheeled around to face him.

"I told you. There's no need."

"And I told you, I want to see it. I don't need your permission or supervision," Bella said. She reached for the doorknob, but the door was still locked tight. "Now, if you please."

Rodolphus turned back to his work, lowering his wand. "Take Nott with you."

"Concerned about my wellbeing?" She taunted with a roll of her eyes. She didn't need a baby sitter. Bella wrenched the door open and closed it quickly behind her. Nott was standing in the hallway, patrolling. These men. Could they be more obvious? He fixed her with a silent stare, but she turned and headed for the stairs. She didn't need any of them, and she would prove it.

Within minutes, Bella was walking down the cobblestone street, headed for the far end of the alley. She was glad to be out of that stuffy room. She was glad to be away from _him_. Out here, she felt like she could focus on the task at hand, instead of constantly being on her guard. The streets were busy, but not terribly. Most of the shoppers were middle aged women. Some toted small children, but, for the most part, people her age weren't around. That was a good thing. It meant that she could come and go without being too recognizable.

It took a while to push through the people milling in front of the shops that lined the narrow alley. By the time she reached the residential flats and attached townhomes, she felt her sense of purpose renewed. The field in question was just on the other side of that building. Curious, she thought as she wandered past the residential building, that none here claimed to see or hear anything. Of course, when it came to Death Eaters, they may be less inclined to honesty.

Maybe Bella could help on that front. After all, she technically _wasn't_ a Death Eater. She made a mental note to speak to potential witnesses and continued walking until the very end of the lane. Charred bushes came into her view first. They were on either side of the field, as though a fire had spread rapidly. Most of London had been experiencing a drought, so the footprints that were left behind were well preserved. Not much could be gleaned from them, other than several people headed in one direction all together. She scoped the area out for a half hour by herself, peering into the bushes, trying to make sense or patterns of the remains of the fight.

By the time the sun was dipping toward the horizon, she, rather grumpily, admitted that Rodolphus had been right. There wasn't any need for her to come here. Just as she turned to leave, the light reflected off of something shiny near the roots of a bush. She leaned down and picked it up. It was mostly covered in dirt. She wiped it clean, revealing a ring.

It was obviously a man's ring. She could tell by the thickness of the band, which was set with a large blue stone and what appeared to be a bird of prey just beneath the surface of the stone. Curious item. The hair on the back of her neck rose. She was no longer alone. She glanced over her shoulder, finding the figure of a woman staring at her from the Diagon Alley side of the field. Bella walked slowly toward her. The woman seemed cautious, if not a bit fearful.

"Excuse me," she said, giving her sweetest smile. "I haven't heard from a friend of mine in a while, and the last I knew, they were here a couple of weeks ago."

Fear flashed through her eyes as she looked up at Bella. "Awful night," the woman murmured, adjusting the knitted shawl on her shoulders. "Lucky no one died. I kept my shutters closed tight."

"Has anyone perhaps…come back?" She asked.

The woman pondered on Bella's question. Bella could tell she knew something. "A young man." The woman looked up at her with wide eyes. "He said he lost something, asked if anyone had seen it."

Bella extended her hand, showing the woman the ring. "Was it this?" She watched the woman take the bulky ring and examine it.

"I believe so," the woman said after a long moment. She set the ring down in Bella's palm.

"Did he happen to give you his name?"

The woman lifted a wrinkled, shaky hand to her chin, her pale blue eyes glazing over slightly. "Kale? Caleb? Sampson? Stanford? He was about your age, shaggy blond hair, blue eyes."

"Cole Stuart?" Bella questioned, the name forming in her mind. Cole was a Ravenclaw student at Hogwarts. She glanced down at the ring. The symbol in it could easily be an eagle, the sigil for Ravenclaw house.

"Yes, I think," the woman said. "Do you know him?"

It was a start. If Cole had been digging around here after that incident, it meant that he knew something about that night. Bella turned on her heel without a word and headed back up the lane. She tossed the hood of her cloak up over her head, making her way back up the high street that led to the Leaky Cauldron.

A plan was forming. A sinister one. She knew enough about him to know how to lure him out. _This_ was why Voldemort chose her for this mission. She had intelligence none of his Death Eaters could even imagine. Her position as a student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry gave her an edge over those who had serve the Dark Lord for years. A smile, genuine and malicious, curled at the edges of her lips. This was far from over. And Bellatrix held the key to solving the riddle.

* * *

Bella pressed the ring into the hot wax on the envelope to seal it. She'd spent the better part of two hours drafting and redrafting a letter to one Mr. Stuart. The door opened as she crossed to the owl in its cage. She didn't need to look up to see it was Rodolphus. Instead, she pointedly focused on unlatching the cage and securing her letter to the owl's foot.

"And you've been-?"

"Solving a problem that you nor any of your friends could figure out," Bella tossed over her shoulder, barely containing the triumph she felt. They still didn't have clear answers, but she knew they were well on their way.

"Oh?"

Bella focused on opening the window and sending her owl off. She took her time with the task, wanting to drag out this feeling just a bit longer. When she finally turned, she found him leaning against one of the posts on her four-poster bed, looking disinterested. But she could see through his slouching posture and mocking smile. It was his eyes that gave him away. They were bright and alert. There he was. The Death Eater. Not just the man who enjoyed taunting her.

"Mhmm," she said, pointedly walking close to him. Her skirts brushed against his leg as she made her way around the bed toward the wardrobe. She felt his eyes on her every movement. "You missed something." She could see him staring at her out of the corner of her eye. His gaze was fixed on her, sending little jolts of excitement through her belly.

"And what was that, Trixie?" He questioned, forcing boredom into his voice.

Bella crossed the room to her large table, picked up the ring, then made her way back past him, placing it in his hand and brushing his hot skin with her fingertips. She moved back to the wardrobe to sift through her clothes. Most of them were black, which would help her tonight. "It's a ring," she said as she pulled a short-ish dress from the wardrobe. "Pressed down into the dirt beneath a burnt bush." She watched him as he inspected the ring. His brow screwed up. He didn't get it. "A witness near the field said a boy about my age came looking for it." She couldn't lie; teasing him like this sent a thrill throughout her limbs. Having information that he didn't know; having a step up on him. It made her feel dangerous. Like she could do anything.

Rodolphus's blue eyes flashed up to look at her, his brows still furrowed. He was silent, but she could see the unasked question reflected back at her in his gaze.

Power. And right now, she had it.

Golden eyes glittering, Bella smirked at him. "I've just written him a letter, posing as his cheating ex-girlfriend and asking for a midnight tryst in Regent's Park."

* * *

Queen Mary's Garden was incredibly dark. Low clouds had moved in, blocking the light of the moon. With each step, the bubbling of the fountain grew louder. Rodolphus's footsteps were soft in the grass behind her, keeping just out of sight. She'd explained that her intention was to interrogate him. While he didn't say much, she saw the way his eyes lit up, and that sent excitement through her. She'd done something right. For once.

Bellatrix made sure that the hood of her cloak was up so Cole wouldn't be able to see her right away. Then she stepped out from between the tall, green trees. "Cole?" She whispered. The figure turned toward her suddenly. She heard him loose a breath and take several quick steps toward her.

"Quinn, Merlin's Beard, why did you want to meet?" He said in a rush of air. "And why are you dressed like that?"

Not wanting to give herself away so quickly, Bella chose her words carefully. "I—I had to see you." It wasn't hard to emulate the desperation she'd heard in girls voices thousands of times.

Cole stopped two steps away. "Listen," he rubbed a hand at the back of his neck, turning his gaze toward the ground. "I'm glad you did. I—I wanted to give you and Charlie my blessing. And to apologize…for my behavior that day. It's never right for anyone to raise a hand—" He looked up at Bella, and something in what he saw made him stop. His back went rigid and he took two steps backward. "Who are you?"

Well, her cover was blown. That happened faster than she intended. She reached her pale fingers up and lowered her hood. Glee filled her belly as she saw his features change. Annoyance, at first, but then fear. She heard Rodolphus moving closer, and Cole was no longer looking at her.

"Now, I think we can all be civilized people here," he said as he reached her side. "We just have a few questions that need answering." Cole's hand went for his pocket but Rodolphus was too quick for him. The wand flew out of Cole's pocket and halfway across the garden. "Then you can go, okay? No harm, no foul." Five other Death Eaters appeared from the shadows, surrounding the scene. There was no chance of escape.

Bella glanced over at Rodolphus, noting the relaxed posture, the casual slope of his shoulders. She didn't understand how he was so cavalier. Her body was wound as tight as a bow string, her heart pumping faster than it had been before her identity was revealed. She watched as Cole considered the two of them.

"Where is she?" He demanded through clenched teeth.

"Quinn? Oh, I don't know. Probably shacked up with your best mate," Bella said, a giggle coming from between her lips. "I happened to find something of yours. Here." She extended her open palm, containing the ring.

"What do you want?" Cole's eyes locked on the ring. He was trying to put on a hard front, but she could see his fear in the way he shifted his weight. He was unarmed and facing someone who very well could use dark magic and it not be traced. She motioned the open hand toward him, enticing him to get what was his. He reached toward her.

Then Rodolphus struck, faster than any snake she'd seen before. He grabbed the boy's hand hard and then spun his arm around behind his back. Cole bit back a groan. Before he could even think, the tip of Rodolphus's wand was pressed against his throat. "Two weeks ago, there was a fight in a field outside of Diagon Alley. There were school children there. I want names." Her blood hummed in her veins. "What about your little love?" Rodolphus looked over at her, mirth in his eyes.

Cole defiantly kept his mouth shut. His breath came out in hard starts from his flaring nostrils. He was scared, but he was also proud.

"I can kill you without harming a single hair on your head, boy. Talk." Rodolphus then moved so quick Bella didn't see him yank Cole's shoulder out of its socket.

Bella had to give it to him. Cole managed to stifle his groan as he fell to his knees, even though his hard breathing and the sweat on his skin told her otherwise.

"I'm sorry," Rodolphus said, not sorry at all. "Was that your wand arm?" He cast the summoning charm and Cole's wand flew to his hand. He handed it to Bella, who tucked it into a pocket in her cloak. "See, the problem with you proud fellows is that you can't be trusted." He took a step closer toward Cole. "Always trying to do the right thing…now I _know_ you know who was there. Surely you have a few names for me." With a flick of Rodolphus's wand, the boy was yanked to his feet by an invisible force. He had one hand clenching his dislocated shoulder.

Defiance was in his eyes as he cast a glare in Bella's direction.

"Tell him who was there and you can go home with your limbs intact," she said, the words falling sweetly from her lips. Rodolphus turned and smiled at her. She would never admit it but watching Rodolphus at work made him leagues more attractive than he'd been a few hours ago.

"C'mere, Trixie," Rodolphus cooed lovingly. "Would you like to help me?" She couldn't contain the smile that formed on her lips. Yes. _Yes._ "What was the name of his little whore again? We could pay her a visit after we're done with him. Since he won't talk." She spared a glance at Cole, noticing the paling of his skin. "Maybe she'll have the information we need." Rodolphus, however, was focused solely on her. "I love torturing girls. They wriggle in the most delicious way." He moved toward Bella, leaning in close. His breath was hot on her neck. "And when they scream…it's like music. They always have these high soprano screams." She felt the goosebumps race across her skin. He pulled back from Bella, fixing her with a heady stare.

"No!" Cole said suddenly, breaking the moment between them. Fear was quite the motivation. Both of them turned their attention back to him. "James Potter, Peter Pettigrew. Sirius Black." That one sent a chill through her heart. Was Sirius heading to that field the night she'd seen him?

"We both know they weren't the only ones," Bella said, moving slowly toward him. "Who else was there?"

"I don't know! I wasn't there!"

"Then how do you know about my cousin and his friends?" Cole hesitated, glancing at Rodolphus standing behind her. "Don't look at him. Look at _me_." The words came out in a low growl. She was going to get this information out of him. Because he feared _her_. Not just Rodolphus.

Cole's gaze faltered, his eyes moving quickly back and forth in his head. "Rachel Lupin, her Italian boyfriend, Remus Lupin…" His head lowered, shoulders slackened. "Ted Tonks—" He picked up his face to look at her, and something resembling hatred shone back at her in his eyes. "Andromeda Black."

Before she could react, large hands wrapped around her waist, and she felt Rodolphus's chest press against her back. Certainly Cole was mistaken about Dromeda. Rodolphus rested his head on her shoulder. The movement felt so natural and at the same time, so foreign. So…tender. "What do you think we should do now, pet?" He asked softly in her ear. "Imperius him and let him kill the whore himself?" She felt his teeth graze her earlobe; her eyes fluttered shut briefly as she tried to reign in these strange feelings. "Or…I could give you an early wedding present." He pulled away, turning her to look him in the eye. "Would you like a present, Trixie?" His hands moved to her hips, pulling her against him.

This was turning him on as much as it was her.

For the first time, she didn't care that he was touching her. She didn't feel repulsion or anger. She felt like they were on even ground. Partners in this. She bit her bottom lip, glancing over at Cole before back to her betrothed. "I've never said no to a present," she said sweetly, a smile broadening across her face.

"That's my girl," Rodolphus said with a wicked grin. He pressed his wand gently into her hand. "I'll let you cast the first Cruiciatus curse." She gripped the wood in her hand, staring at it, wondering at the spells he'd cast with it. Wondering just how it would feel to use those curses deemed unforgivable. While the Ministry turned a blind eye to small spells and tricks outside of Hogwarts, for students, the three Unforgivable Curses were tracked. She could never try them on her own, much as she was tempted to with a house elf or two over the years. She turned toward Cole then.

Rodolphus moved to stand behind her, his hands finding home on her hips. "Let me give you a small pointer. Imagine he's me, when I'm at my worst. It'll give you a little more…power." She felt his teeth nip at her earlobe a second time. "I'll even let you cast the dark mark when we're done." His lips moved to her neck, feathering soft kisses against the sensitive skin. She bit her bottom lip, unable to contain the way her body betrayed her. "Feels good to be bad, doesn't it, Trixie." He pressed his lips against her shoulder and she felt him smile through the fabric of her clothing. "Let it rip."

" _Crucio!"_

For all she knew about the Cruciatus curse, she never knew that it would feel so… powerful. A red stream emitted from the tip of the wand and into Cole's chest, sending him reeling backward onto the ground. She watched as he writhed, gasping out in pain. She focused on pushing more energy into the spell, even vaguely imagining Rodolphus provoking her. Her entire arm was vibrating when Rodolphus's hand came down over hers, holding it tenderly.

"Very good for your first time, he complimented. "Let me help you practice. I'll show you a few things that'll help when you're out of school." Their eyes met in a heavy gaze. There was something there behind his eyes when he gazed at her. More than just want. A need. A need that it felt only she could fulfill.

It was such a visceral experience, in that moment, with him. He was giving her a gift; teaching her to torture. When he very well could have done this without her involvement. "You have to visualize it," he whispered, pressing against her back once more. "Close your eyes, pet." She obliged. "Picture his blood boiling under his skin, and his bones shattering into tiny pieces. Picture daggers stabbing into every pore of his skin and how much you want to do all of those things to his weak body. Picture yourself exerting enough force to break every part of him." He pressed yet another kiss to her neck, his tongue flicking out and disappearing quickly. "You have to want it so bad that you barely realize you cast the spell. Crave it." His hand moved around to her belly, pressing her back flush against him. "Long for it."

Bella's heart was about to pound out of her rib cage. She imagined the boy's blood boiling in his veins, imagined the way bones would break apart into tiny shards, daggers stabbing into him over and over. And then more images came forth. Sirius walking away. Her father slapping her hard enough to knock her to the ground. Her mother's indifference. " _Crucio!_ " She cast once more. When her eyes opened, Cole was now convulsing on the ground. At first, he fought, but it didn't take much for the force behind the spell to make his body go limp.

A rush of cold air enveloped her body as Rodolphus stepped away and plucked his wand out of her hand. "Good job, Trixie," he said, smirking. Genuine. He actually meant it as a compliment. With a flick of his wand and a quiet word, he revived Cole, who was gasping on the ground, clawing at his throat with his good arm. He cast a silent spell that brought Cole back to his feet. "You've been so generous tonight. Screaming for me, entertaining my betrothed, giving me the information that I wanted. How very…hospitable of you."

Then she heard the crack of Rodolphus's hand across Cole's face. She clenched her empty fists at her side, forcing back her own memory. _Dromeda. Surely she didn't._

"But now, I think it's time to get a bit more serious. Can't have you running around warning the people you named, now can we?" She saw an evil glint in his eyes as he lifted his wand toward Cole's good arm. " _Diffindo."_ His movements were swift as the light ripped across the boy's arm, shredding the skin down to the bone, from shoulder to wrist. " _Crucio."_

Cole howled in agony, his head looking upward. His body twitched violently as he was suspended there. When his knees gave out, he didn't fall this time. Whatever spell Rodolphus used had stuck.

"Would you like to cut him, pet?" Rodolphus turned to Bella, giving her another opportunity. She nodded, almost shy. She liked this. No. She _loved_ this. This feeling of power, of learning new things, of taking what she wanted instead of having to give. _This_ was the service she'd wanted to do for the dark lord. Rodolphus handed the wand over, releasing the Cruciatus curse. "Aim for the right leg, all the way down. Then watch his blood spill."

Bella knew the maniacal gleam in his eyes was reflected in her own. She looked back toward Cole, who was now gasping in and out for air. " _Diffindo,"_ she cast, watching as the spell cut jagged lines through his clothes first, then his skin, then muscles, and down to the bone far beneath the surface. Blood poured from his wounds, staining his clothing and spilling onto the ground beneath him.

"A little sloppy, dear," Rodolphus said, his voice devoid of any criticism. "But I must say, very effective."

The pair of them took turns, moving from one limb to another, creating deep gouges that should kill him in an hour. Even when Rodolphus took his wand back, staring at her with a heavy gaze, she felt there was so much more than she wanted to do to their prey. She wanted to break all of his bones and slit his throat and watch the light fade from his eyes.

In one deft moment, he pressed his lips against hers. Only this kiss was different than any of the others. It was soft, and almost tender, not punishing as he'd done that night at the Leaky Cauldron, or even at the manor. He wrapped her in his arms slowly. She was soft against him. His hands found their way into her long, curly locks. Then, he nipped at her bottom lip cautiously. Almost asking for permission.

Reality came back to her. She pulled her head back from him gently, staring into his blue eyes for a long. Her lips were swollen, her hair tussled. It wasn't right for her to feel this way about him. She hated him. She hated Rodolphus.

Then why did she feel such a yearning for him?

"What's the incantation for the dark mark?" She asked, shyly looking up at him through her dark eyelashes.

"Morsmorde," he said softly, taking her wand hand into his and pointing it skyward. A heartbeat later, green sparks were flying into the sky, forming the image of a skull with a snake slithering out of its mouth.

It gave her goosebumps.

Rodolphus's arm wrapped around her waist and he apparated them away. When they reappeared, they were on the other side of the gardens behind a bush, crouching. She hadn't noticed the footsteps that approached, but he and the other Death Eaters had, for the garden was empty save Cole. Two figures walked forward, talking between themselves as they discovered the body.

"Who are they?" Rodolphus whispered.

The pair looked wildly around the garden, as if they were searching for the perpetrators. She knew them immediately. "Rachel Lupin and her Italian boyfriend," Bella said.

"Lupin. That was one of the names he gave. Good," he said to himself, before looking at her. "Let's go home, Trixie. It seems it's no longer any fun here."

With a pop, the pair disappeared from their spot in the garden.


	5. Chapter Five

The following morning, Bellatrix awoke slowly. First, she noticed the light showing behind her eyelids. She scrunched her face and rolled over, tightly closing her eyelids. Her body ached. It was a blissful feeling, like the morning after a wonderful night with a good lover. She reached a hand out, expecting to feel a warm body beside her. When nothing but cold bed sheets greeted her fingers, she snapped open her eyes.

Then she remembered. Torture. Blissful torture. She smiled and allowed her eyes to flutter shut, once more reliving the events of the previous night. The way he'd screamed. She'd made him scream. She'd knocked him unconscious with her curse. She'd watched his skin and bones shred and break to the point of no return. No one could survive those sorts of wounds. It made her smile even wider.

"Well, you look like you were properly fucked last night." Her eyes opened as Rodolphus folded the newspaper in his hands and set it on his lap.

No. _No._ They didn't. She opened her mouth to speak, but he cut her off.

"Fear not, Trixie, I haven't forced myself on you. There's no need. Eventually, you'll come to me." He stood and crossed to the bed, tossing the paper within her reach before turning his back to her to fix himself a drink. She grabbed the newspaper and made to unfold it. "We made the front page of the _Prophet._ "

Sure enough, as she flattened the front page of the _Daily Prophet_ , an image of her dark mark slithered above a dark garden. The headline was in big, bold letters. ' _Death Eaters Attack in Muggle Park.'_ Vaguely, she heard the clinking of glass as Rodolphus made his drink. She scanned the article, noticing how no names were given. Only vague mentions of witnesses that discovered the Hogwarts student who was attacked. And no mention of…

"It doesn't say he died," she remarked, reining in the panic threatening in her voice.

When she lifted her eyes, she noticed how put together her betrothed looked. He wore flawless black slacks and a white button up shirt, sleeves rolled up to his elbows. His hair was perfectly styled. He'd even shaved. "That's because he didn't," Rodolphus said pointedly, taking a sip of his drink. "Little Miss Lupin and her boyfriend managed to get him to St. Mungo's, where they were able to stop the bleeding. One of my men has been staked out in the waiting room since last night, listening to the sniveling girl."

This was bad. Her fear must have shown all over her face because Rodolphus cleared his throat. "A minor setback, Trixie. I have this handled," he said. "The boy is in a coma that he quite honestly may never wake up from. Once all of his visitors stop coming, one of my men will sneak in and take care of it. He never wakes up. No one ever knows who did it or what we did it for."

Bella worried her bottom lip between her teeth. _Andromeda._ She shook her head. "I have to go to Cornwall today," she said suddenly, throwing the blankets to the side and climbing from the bed.

"And why is that?" Rodolphus leaned against the table, casually hooking one ankle over the other.

As she rifled through the wardrobe for a clean dress, Bella said, "You heard him. He named my sister as one of them. From the field." She reached down to the bottom of the wardrobe and grabbed a pair of shoes.

"He very well could have been lying," he pointed out.

"That's what I intend on finding out," she bit back, tossing her clothing onto the bed.

"And our mission?"

She couldn't help the glare she sent his direction. She turned back to the task at hand and pulled her night gown over her head. Though she felt his eyes watching her near naked form, she didn't care. She'd never been one for modesty. She tugged the dress on, securing her wand as she went.

"You know he wouldn't be happy if he knew you were leaving," Rodolphus pointed out.

"It'll only be for a couple of hours. He never has to know," she said, trying to feign disinterest. She knew that leaving her post for even a minute would look bad. But she had to know for sure that Cole Stuart was lying. That Andromeda hadn't gone to that field that night. If any of the Death Eaters recognized her, they would have grounds to hurt her. She shoved her feet into her shoes and moved in the direction of the fireplace.

Rodolphus stepped in her way, a hand up. He looked past her, at the wall. She glared up at him, but he didn't seem to notice. "I won't tell him." Some of the tension loosened in her shoulders. "But only if you kiss me like you mean it."

"And if I refuse?" She lifted an eyebrow in challenge.

His blue eyes were cold as he turned to stare down at her. "I will tell the Dark Lord that it was reported that your _sister_ was at that field. That you abandoned your post the moment you found out about it. That you and your entire _family_ are blood traitors."

Bella's eyes widened; fear coiled in her gut. "You wouldn't."

"If you kiss me like you mean it, then we're even. I'll go on to my plans for the day, seeking out Rachel Lupin, and you'll go on to yours. We'll meet for dinner downstairs and pretend as though you were here all along, recovering after last night." She glared at him. Why did he enjoy torturing her so much? "Come now, Trixie, you didn't seem to mind kissing me all that much last night while we were playing."

Well, he wasn't wrong. She'd let herself get caught up in the moment, in the torture, in the light in his eyes. She'd recognized something in him last night, something that she knew lived within herself. That maybe the monster inside of him was more similar to her own than she could have imagined.

"It's just a kiss."

Oh, but was it? Was giving in to his advances now forfeiting herself to this engagement? Didn't he understand? Didn't he understand that she had no intention of marrying him and becoming the perfect pureblood wife that he would expect her to be? But one kiss… She'd given more of herself to boys that meant far less to her and her future than the man before her. One little kiss to save her life, and the lives of her sisters.

Bella leaned up towards him. Her eyes closed instinctively as she pressed her lips against his, arms finding their place on his shoulders.

Oh, but Rodolphus had no intention of letting her get away that easy.

She felt him smile against her lips before roughly grabbing her around the waist and pulling her flush against him. He flicked his tongue against her lips, forcing them apart. Firewhisky was on his mouth as she tasted him fully. _Where's the fun in you rolling over and taking it?_ His words from that night repeated in her mind, over and over. And you know what? He was right. Why should she just have to accept this? He wanted her to fight. One of her hands snaked up the back of his neck and into his hair, ruffling all of his hard work to keep it neat. She deepened the kiss, pressing herself against him, lying to herself as she repeated in her mind. _It doesn't mean anything._

Rodolphus took the sudden change as a rise in her passion. She could feel him stiffening against her belly. Her heart pounded in her ears. It reminded her of last night, of this _thing_ shared between them.

Just as she was about to sacrifice herself, say fuck it, and reach for the buttons of his shirt, Rodolphus pulled away.

That had been far more exhilarating than she thought.

"Two hours. If you're not downstairs for dinner, I'll have no choice. The others will know." He smirked at her as he turned toward the mirror on the wall and smoothed down his hair.

"What exactly is your plan for Lupin?" Bella questioned, double checking her appearance. She crossed toward the lit fireplace.

"I'll let you know at dinner." He tucked a hand in his pocket. "I have to see if she's willing to take the bait first." He gave her a rat bastard grin and disappeared from her bedroom in a _pop_. Bella turned to the fireplace and grabbed a handful of floo powder. This wasn't going to be nearly as fun as last night had been.

* * *

The floo network was Bella's least favorite way to travel. It was disgustingly uncomfortable and left soot stains on her clothes that took forever to come out. Not that she handled her laundry, but that was beside the point.

The fireplace deposited her into the main parlor of Dorminack Manor. She dusted off the front of her dress as best she could and scoped out the room. Luckily, it was empty, but she expected that. It was the middle of the afternoon. Cygnus would be in his study, drinking, and Druella would be in her bedroom, napping after having too much to drink at midday. Tea was set beside one of the sofas, but it looked completely untouched.

Bella navigated the corridors, waiting at each turn to listen for sounds of anyone approaching. If her father caught her here, she'd be in trouble. It was best for all if her visit went unnoticed by everyone other than Andromeda. As she reached the main entryway where the giant staircase was, she heard Narcissa whining about something. Bella ducked back, out of view of the doorway, and listened as Cissy's and another person's footsteps receded down the long corridor that led toward the back of the ground floor.

Only when she heard the ticking of the clock did Bella dart for the stairs, taking them two at a time. She got lucky. Almost. She was almost to Andromeda's door whenever she spied a little creature walking toward her in the dimly lit hallway. The large bat-like ears and giant eyes immediately relieved the panic in her chest. It was just Torkey, the family's house elf.

"Ah, Mistress, we did not know you were home." The little creature was good for house work, but sometimes he didn't know when to shut his mouth. "Shall I have fresh tea—"

"No, you miserable little monster," she said in a whisper, walking directly toward him. He took a step or two backward. "You are to tell no one that I was here. Is that clear?" He nodded, trying to hid the shake in his shoulders. "And if you do tell anyone I was here, I'll chop your head off myself." She scowled at him. "Now get out of my sight!"

There was no hesitation. There never was. Perhaps it was the time she'd kicked him down the stairs when she was a child after he wouldn't shut up. She didn't know, nor did she care. He was a servant to her house. As his batty ears disappeared around the corner of the hall, she turned back to Andromeda's door and wrenched it open. Her sister was sprawled across the bed, reading some magazine or book.

"Bells? What are you doing here?"

Seeing her sister sent her into a bit of a rage. After hearing that Andromeda had been a part of the field ordeal, and to see her sitting here so casually, as though nothing in the world could be wrong. Bella's wand was in her hand. She flicked the magazine across the room. "The night we stayed at the Leaky Cauldron. Where were you?"

Andromeda's face seemed to pale. Whether it was because Bella had uncovered something, or the real threat that her sister was pitting against her, Bella didn't know.

"Our room, just like you told me." Another flick of her wand and a muttered spell had Andromeda sprawling out of the bed. She quickly recovered to stand on her feet. "Bells, stop it!"

Bellatrix stalked across the room toward her younger sister, nostrils flaring, and anger pouring from her.

"Then why did Cole Stuart tell me you were at the field in Diagon Alley that night," Bella said from between clenched teeth.

Confusion knotted across Andromeda's face; her brows furrowed. "Cole Stuart?" Her eyes searched Bella's features. "Why in the world would you talk to Cole Stuart?" Bella watched as Andromeda's face went from confusion to revelation. "It was you. You tortured him." She could hear shock in Dromeda's voice, see a flicker of fear in her face.

Bella lifted her chin, not denying it.

"You couldn't have done it alone." Andromeda's gaze searched her sister's features. " _He_ helped you, didn't he? Rodolphus?"

"That's not important, Andromeda. What's important is that he said you were a part of the fight in the field against the Death Eaters. Tell me he's lying."

A tense silence took over the room. Dromeda's bottom lip trembled as she stumbled across the words. "H-He's lying."

Well. Bellatrix didn't know if she believed her sister. But she also didn't know if Andromeda would be brazen enough to lie to her face. She turned around, sheathing her wand in its proper place and then pacing the floor, running her hands through her unruly hair. "The nerve of him, lying to _me_ ," Bella spat. "He's _lucky_ he isn't dead right now. He should be."

When her sister didn't respond, Bella turned to find Andromeda staring at her with wide eyes. "I'm worried about you," she finally said.

"Worried about me? There's no need to be worried about me."

"You've been gone a day and you've nearly murdered someone."

Bella advanced on her sister once more. This time she didn't resort to using her wand. She backed Andromeda against the wall and leaned in close to her. "I don't need your worry. I need you to _obey_ me." Her words were low and measured. Fear shone back at her from her sister's eyes. "I do what I do to keep you and Cissy safe. I can't do that if you don't listen to me. Is that understood?"

Dromeda nodded slowly. Bella backed off several steps.

"Stay away from people like Cole Stuart. They're likely to get you killed," Bella said, moving toward the fireplace. She pulled out her wand and cast incendio to start a fire in the hearth. "Don't tell anyone that I was here. The family could get into a lot of trouble if you do."

"Trouble?" Andromeda had moved to the center of the room, not far from the end of her bed.

Bella glanced over her shoulder at her sister. "The next several months are going to be so very important, Dromeda," she said calmly. "I have to mind every move I make. If I slip up, it could mean disgrace on our family. If we are disgraced, the Dark Lord will have no use for us. If he has no use for us, he'll kill us all." Her shoulders slumped as images of her sisters, dead, passed through her mind. "I'm trying to protect you. I just want to keep you safe. I need you to understand that."

Without giving her sister a chance to respond, Bella pulled the pouch of floo powder from her pocket and poured it on the fire. With a step into the flames, she called out, "The Leaky Cauldron" and her family's manor disappeared.

* * *

Two hours from the time she last saw Rodolphus, Bella sauntered down the stairs of the Leaky Cauldron and into the busy pub. Her betrothed was at a large table in a darkened corner, several of his men sitting around him. They were speaking in low voices as she approached. "Ah!" Rodolphus said as he spotted her. "There's my beautiful betrothed. Did you have a nice nap?" A couple of the men snickered but were immediately silence the second they saw her glare.

"Of course," Bella said. "It was a very…productive nap."

One of the men moved to offer her his seat and she took it without hesitation. These men were going to doubt her, mock her, try to tear her apart. This was the way the world was. At least until she sunk her claws in and managed to incite the necessary changes. A pair of blue eyes settled on her from across the table, watching her very carefully. She ordered a drink from a passing waitress and turned back to the table.

"What news of our friend from last night?" Bella asked, forcing her shoulders into a relaxed position. If she wanted power, she was going to have to take it. No one was going to give it to her.

"The same," Rodolphus said, staring at her curiously. "He's had several guests today."

"And the girl?"

At this, a wolfish grin spread across his face, his white teeth lit up in the dimness of the bar room. "Receptive," he confirmed. She had further questions, about just _what_ Rachel Lupin was receptive to, but if he was speaking so sparsely, it meant that there were ears or eyes nearby and they couldn't speak freely.

"Good," Bella said, turning to glance at the other men. "You can leave. I'm here to have dinner with my future fiancé. We don't need to have you lot hanging about." She crossed her arms over her chest. The men grumbled something beneath their breath, but she merely lifted an eyebrow at them to see if they'd say anything to her face. They glanced toward Rodolphus, who merely sat back in his chair and watched. "Go," she ordered. "I'm sick of looking at you."

Two of them were on their feet and moving away, while the third looked to Rodolphus once more. He didn't react. "Are you deaf?" Bella said, the pitch of her voice raising. "Or just stupid?" The man stared at her in disbelief. She didn't know him. She didn't know a lot of them, if she were being honest, but that didn't mean a thing. She planned on every single one of them knowing her. And following her orders.

With a curse beneath his breath, the man stood and left the two of them alone at the table. A slow, sly smile spread across Rodolphus's face. "That was risky, Trixie," he said, moving to sit in the chair beside her. "It would be wise to watch how you speak to those who rank above you."

Bella lifted her eyebrows. "Did the Dark Lord hand pick any of them for this mission?" She posed to him quietly. She didn't give him a chance to answer the question before, "I believe my rank might be a bit higher than you think it is."

"Noted," Rodolphus said, amusement flickering in his eyes. "He was very pleased with my report of last night's mission."

The waitress came by and dropped Bella's drink, then placed two plates in front of them. She waited until the girl was out of earshot before looking back at him. "The mission still isn't completed," she said, her eyes darting about the room for wandering eyes or ears. "What of the girl?"

Rodolphus also scanned the room, before leaning closer toward her. "She's incredibly distraught over the boy. That seems to have caused some tension with the Italian," he said in a low voice. Bella moved her food around on the plate as she listened. "When I approached her, she was crying. It didn't take much for her to open up to me."

"Did she recognize you?"

"No," he said. "I don't believe they saw us. I told her that my grandfather was dying and her gentle heart invited me to sit with her." Bella listened as he continued on, giving bare information on what he talked with Lupin about. Small talk turned into serious discussions about dangerous threats. Her Italian boyfriend was having a hard time because Lupin was focusing so much energy on Cole Stuart. The girl had no romantic inclinations toward him; the Italian wasn't convinced. But, also, Bella suspected, because his parents had been murdered by Death Eaters less than a year ago. "I mentioned that I'd be back to see my grandfather tomorrow. If she's there, I know it worked."

Bella traced a knot in the wooden surface of the table. "And if it did?" She questioned, absentminded.

"The plan is to seduce the information out of her. Find out just who we're looking for."

"Seduce?" She questioned. "Why not just—" She cut herself off, glancing around the pub once more. "More of the same?"

"Jealous?"

Bella lifted her eyebrows. "Not in the slightest. I just thought perhaps this could be another training opportunity." She averted her eyes to her plate and shrugged her shoulders. "There's a lot that I still don't know. The other curses. Legillimency. Untraceable Poisons."

"I can crack this girl in a week. Tops. If she doesn't willingly give up the information by the time I fuck her, then I'll teach you a new lesson." She saw a wicked smile form on his lips from the corner of his eyes. "And to think, not that long ago, you didn't want to spend a second with me."

"I still don't," she said far too quickly. The a-ha look in his eyes told her that she'd just fed into his hand. She always fed into his hand. "We're stuck together in this, aren't we? Might as well make the most of that time."

Rodolphus ordered another bottle of firewhisky for the table. She felt his eyes on her the entire time while they waited for the waitress to bring the bottle. Once she did, with a loud _thump_ on the table, Bella finally looked up at him. He was leaning back in his chair, one arm resting casually across the back, staring at her. There was something in gaze that she couldn't quite point out. When he wanted her to know what he was feeling or thinking, he was easy to read. But times like right now? She couldn't tell.

"Is that how you feel, Trixie? Stuck?"

"Wouldn't you?" She took a sip of the firewhisky, reveling in the way it burned down her throat. "Never having a choice in _anything_. Always having to let a _man_ make plans for you, when you're perfectly capable of making them for yourself." She glared hatefully at him. "Even now, on this mission, those men diverted to you when I told them to leave. They should have just left."

"Trixie—"

"I've known from the time I could understand the word marriage that I was going to have to marry _you_." Her words pushed out in a harsh whisper. "I _never_ had a choice. Even if there was someone else that I wanted, I couldn't have them. So I never allowed myself to get attached. Because I knew it would always, _always_ end badly because of _you._ " She knocked back the rest of her drink and slammed the glass on the table. "Go fuck yourself, Rodolphus." She pushed back from the table and left without another word. She needed to relax. She needed to get rid of the stress that she was feeling.

There was only one way for her to do that.

* * *

Night had fallen by the time Bella arrived at the long row of houses in the middle of London. The building reminded her of Aunt Walburga's house on Grimmauld Place. This, however, wasn't in nearly as nice a neighborhood. There were far more houses cramped on either side of the street, far more debris rolling into the gutters, and a lot more noise than one would expect coming from each house. She walked past the numbers, looking for the one she intended to stop at.

A chilly wind raced up the lane, making Bella pull her cloak more tightly around her body. Rodolphus didn't come after her when she stormed out of the pub. She spent all of five minutes in her room, changing her clothes and putting on simple makeup, before leaving again. Normally, she wouldn't walk anywhere if she didn't have to. Tonight, she needed to blow off a little steam before she got to her destination.

The neighborhood didn't surprise her. Not really. She was used to a certain level of luxury, of course, but not everyone that she knew had the same financial stability that her family did. As she reached the door, she paused, wondering if she really wanted to be here right now. All it took was a single flash of Rodolphus's smug face in her mind to make her lift her hand and knock on the door.

A moment later she heard footsteps, and then the door swung open to reveal Yaxley, dressed in a casual t-shirt and faded jeans. She lowered the hood of her cloak. Confusion was writ across his features. "Bella?" He glanced back into the house and then moved toward her, closing the door behind him. "What are you doing here?"

"I should have written, I know," she said, looking up at him through her eyelashes. "Are you busy?"

Yaxley glanced over his shoulder at the closed door behind him. "Not…exactly. My parents are home."

"Is that…an issue?" She watched as he shuffled his feet uncomfortably.

"Why are you here, Bella?"

There was suspicion in his voice. Rightfully so. She hadn't spoken to him since the night before they left school and even then she'd been rude to him. It wasn't like her to just show up somewhere. She knew this was out of the ordinary. "We had an arrangement, didn't we?"

"Yeah, we did. And then you threatened me."

Bella's brow furrowed. She very well felt like stomping her foot like a petulant child. But that wasn't who she was anymore. Instead, she turned and began walking down the street.

"Corban?" Came a voice from the door. "Who's your friend?"

She stopped walking and turned to find a short woman with blond hair. She had a rounded face like Yaxley's. "Mum, this is Bellatrix Black."

"Oh, oh!" The woman pressed forward and reached out to embrace her. The tension immediately rose in her shoulders as the woman pressed a kiss to her cheek. "I am so glad to finally meet you." She ushered Bella back toward the house. Bella stole a glance at Yaxley whose eyes were wide. Once through the threshold, Bella was led through to the main room of the house. It was small. Quaint. But still small. How anyone could breathe with so little space was a mystery. Mrs. Yaxley released her grip on Bella and moved toward the kitchen. "We were so excited to receive the invitation to your party." She was holding a heavy envelope with the Black family seal on the back. "So kind of you to think of us."

Through the whirlwind of the last few minutes, Bella was sure she'd been scowling. She forced a smile to her face. "Of course—" She caught sight of the woman's son near the entryway. "—Corban and I have been friends for so long."

"Mum, I think Dad is ready to go."

"Right. We have tickets to the opera." The older woman crossed to her son and pressed a kiss to his cheek, then disappeared up the stairs. Bella heard her footsteps as she crossed the second floor of the row house. Her eyes focused on Yaxley before her. Faintly, she heard two pops and assumed that it meant his parents were gone.

"Is that all I am to you?" He finally asked.

Bella bit her bottom lip as she contemplated his question. "It's all you _can_ be," she said quietly.

"Why?" He demanded. He didn't understand before, and he wouldn't understand now. Wasted breath, wasted words. "Bella, I'm in love with you. I've been in love with you for years and you've never seen it."

 _No,_ she thought, _I've known all along and I took advantage of it._

When she didn't respond, he continued. "I meant what I said that night. I'll kill him. If it means that I can have you, I would do it." He took a step forward and Bella took a step back. "I would do anything as long as it meant I could have you. I'd kill anyone." She didn't doubt that he meant the words.

"You can't have me, Yaxley," she said after a long moment. She could see the question on his lips. _Why?_ "I don't love you. I don't even like you. I tolerate you. As a woman, I have needs that need meeting, and you were convenient. You were _willing_. That's all it has ever been between us." Bella saw the way her words wounded him. He became fidgety, shuffling his weight, his eyes shifting around the room. "I'm not capable of love. I'm not capable of compassion or kindness. If you knew me half as well as you think you do, you would know that. I have a heart as black as my name and that will never change."

Bellatrix pushed past him and took her leave of the house, feeling even more frustrated than she had before coming here. She'd hoped she would have the opportunity to work her frustrations out. Obviously, Yaxley would not give her that release. It was better this way, of course. She didn't feel the slightest bit guilty about it. She told him from the start that this would go nowhere. He decided to catch feelings.

So, off she went, back into the heart of London.

* * *

Rodolphus was waiting for her when she arrived back at her room. She barely spared a glance at him as she pulled the cloak from her shoulders and hung it up on the rack. "You have your own room," she said over her shoulder as she kicked off her shoes. "Why are you always in mine?"

When he didn't respond immediately, Bella moved toward her bathing room and began to run the hot water faucet. She needed a bath to wash away the day. She crossed back into the room and to the wardrobe to grab her night gown.

He continued to lean against the heavy table in the corner. "What?!" She demanded of him.

"If you could have anyone other than me, anyone else in the world, who would it be?"

Incredulous, Bella shook her head. "Why the fuck does it matter?" She turned back to the wardrobe and yanked her nightgown from the spot she'd left it in earlier in the day.

"Curious mind," Rodolphus said from across the room.

She walked her clothes to the bathroom and set them down before storming back into the room. He was still waiting for her answer. "You need to leave." She eyed the door and crossed her arms, demanding privacy. She deserved at least that much.

"Just answer me. If you can give me one name. One person that you'd rather marry and fuck for the rest of your life than me."

Bella dropped her arms and sauntered across the room, slowly. She forced the tension from her shoulders and back. Whatever kind of game he was playing, she would win it. When she reached him, Bella licked her lips, as if preparing to kiss him. She rested her hands on his hard stomach and ran them up the length of his abdomen to his shoulders. She tipped her head up ever so slightly and leaned in to whisper in his ear.

"Anyone. Anyone but you."

Hatred shone in her eyes as she backed away from him.

It was a lie. Of course, it was a lie. But she was angry and frustrated and all she'd wanted to do was find release. He'd blocked her from that. Rodolphus had been blocking her her entire life. From the moment she understood that she hated him, she never allowed herself to get close to anyone, to even _think_ about getting close to anyone. It would only end in heartache.

And Bellatrix Black had had enough heartache to last a lifetime.

Rodolphus's eyebrows were lifted. "Noted," he said, pushing away from the table. "Well, I have a mission to complete. I think we need to work other angles and not put all of our emphasis on Lupin. What were the other names?"

Just like that, it was as if the conversation never happened.

"Ted Tonks, Potter, Pettigrew, Remus Lupin, Rachel, Quinn Cromwell, Sirius—"

Rodolphus's expression perked up at the mention of her cousin. "You and your cousin have a good relationship, don't you?" Bella shrugged her shoulders.

"Considering he's a blood traitor," she responded.

"But _he_ doesn't know that you know, does he?"

"How could he?" She didn't get the point. "But…he would probably assume the entire family had heard by now."

"I'll handle the Lupin girl. You, try to meet with your cousin. See if you can get any information out of him about who sensed our men," Rodolphus said. He turned toward the door. She let her shoulders sag in response.

"I'll send up one of the men from down in the pub. They would probably appreciate your supple body," he said, glancing over his shoulder. "You could use a fucking worse than anyone downstairs."

Before she had a chance to respond, he was gone. And she was left fuming.

He'd won again.


	6. Chapter Six

It took Sirius ten days to respond to her request.

Ten days of being bored out of her mind. Ten days of having to listen to Rodolphus and his men discussing their triumphs. Mostly his men. Rodolphus hadn't gotten very far with Little Lupin, which made her chuckle on the inside. A week is what he said, right? It made her _very_ happy to see the frustration in his eyes each evening at dinner.

During the day, she'd normally wander out into Diagon Alley or muggle London. _Anything_ to have a moment of peace and quiet. When she wasn't out spending her father's money, she was writing letters to her sisters. Cissy wrote every other day it felt like, but Andromeda had yet to respond to Bella's correspondence. She knew Dromeda was upset. That didn't really bother Bellatrix much. Her younger sister would come around. Dromeda would see that she was right. She always did.

Bella's letter to Sirius had been short and sweet. She told him that she missed him and wanted to see him. She let him name the time and place. It was partially true. She did miss him. She did want to see him. But she was also harboring anger that dwelt in the depths of her belly. How could he?

That wasn't the most important thing. Not now. She had to find out what he knew about that night.

He chose St. James Park near Buckingham Palace. It was a smart move. In the summer, tourists flocked to the place. There were enough eyes around for him to feel safe. Around noon, she left the Leaky Cauldron, briefly spying Rodolphus sitting at a table in the corner of the pub. His eyes looked red rimmed. His "grandfather" must have died. She chuckled to herself and made her way out into London.

The afternoon sun was warm on her skin. For the first time, she didn't feel like she needed to wear a cloak or long sleeves. For just this once, she would enjoy a seemingly normal summer afternoon in London. With her favorite cousin. The walk was enough to get her blood flowing. By the time she arrived at the park and found the garden that he wanted to meet at, Bella was in a rather good mood.

Bella spied Sirius sitting on a park bench overlooking the lake. Pelicans skated across the surfacing, causing ripples and waves toward the shore. She slowed her pace, going over what she would say to him. As she approached, she noticed that his complexion looked ten times better than the last time she'd seen him. His cheeks were fuller, his skin tanner, and his grey eyes were bright. When he spied her, his lips formed a thin line across his face.

Without a word, Bella took the seat next to him on the bench. They sat that way for a long moment, watching as a bird dipped its beak beneath the water and then began to prune its feathers. "You look well, cousin," she finally said.

"And you look terrible, Bellatrix," he responded.

Turning to look at him, she said, "What do you mean?"

Sirius peered over at her. "You're not eating. There are bags under your eyes, and your hair has lost some of its shine." His assessment caught her off guard. She didn't realize that he'd paid so much attention. "I know that you know. What I don't know is why you wanted to see me."

"Can't I miss you?" She asked, her voice quiet.

"I don't know, can you?" He faced her full on. "Bells, Dromeda wrote to me. She told me about what you and your wretched fiancé did."

Oh.

Bella stared out across the water, unable to take his piercing grey eyes. "We believe in different things. I won't lie about that." She loosed a long breath. "But we're still family, Sirius."

"My mother blasted my name off of the family tree. I'm not your family anymore."

"So, you'd rather spend your days with half-bloods, blood traitors, and mudbloods," she murmured.

"Yes!" She turned to look at him full on. "Because you're _wrong_. All of you. There is no pure blood, half-blood— _none_ of that matters in the real world. The fact is that the purebloods will die out. Unless you all want to turn to marrying your children to cousins. It's ridiculous. The idea of having a pure society. Why shut out people who could make things better because of their blood status? That's _not_ their fault."

So there really was no turning back for him. This was it, then. She'd half allowed herself to hope that she could convince him otherwise. "You have your beliefs, cousin. I have mine." The words ground out from between her teeth.

"Then I guess there really was no point to meeting you." He stood, but only turned to face her. "I'd hoped maybe you were having second thoughts. That what—" He lowered his voice. "—what you did might weigh on your conscience and that you wanted _out_." Bella lifted her head to look up at him, setting her jaw defiantly. "But I know that was just the kid in me hoping that we'd never be parted. That my best friend growing up wouldn't abandon me."

"Abandon _you_?" She laughed. Loudly. Unable to contain it.

"Yes, Bells. You abandoned me. The entire family did whenever I was sorted into Gryffindor. I still came around, but our friendship was never the same after that. So I found new friends, new people, new ideas. I know it in my very soul that these new things are the right things." Sirius shook his head. "I will always cherish that little girl that you were, but you'll never be her. Not again."

Sirius began to stalk away. Bella was left speechless, even though she knew there was so much more to say to him.

So, she pushed off of the bench and went after him. "Sirius!" He glanced over his shoulder at her, but continued on at a brisk walk. He was a head taller than she was, so she had to nearly run to catch up to him. She cut in front of him, putting a hand up to stop him. "I need to ask you something. Then I'll let you go. I promise."

"What?"

"The night you and your friends had a fight with Death Eaters in the field. How did you know they were there?"

Sirius's brow furrowed. "I—I don't know. I think one of the girls shouted that they'd seen them. Why?"

"No. It's nothing." She lowered her gaze. "Take care, Sirius."

He tipped her chin up to look into her eyes. His were soft. "You too, Bells."

Maybe he didn't completely hate her after all.

* * *

Dark clouds had formed in the sky as Bellatrix made her way back toward the Leaky Cauldron. Lightning flashed in the clouds and thunder rumbled in the distance. Sirius had stalked away almost immediately. Had she been up for more of a fight, she might have gone after him to find out where he was staying, just in case.

Not that she needed to be able to contact him on a moment's whim. Not that she wanted _out_. Just to be sure that he was safe.

And she wasn't so sure that she wanted that door to be closed forever. In case _he_ changed his mind.

The skies opened about two blocks from the entrance to the Leaky Cauldron. While she would normally duck and run for cover, Bella walked casually through the downpour. Water soaked through her dress; her curly hair flattened. When she entered the pub, it didn't really matter to her that she was soaked to the bone and shivering. Things were changing in her life. The people in her life were changing. Priorities were changing. And she would welcome the change with an open heart.

Rodolphus crossed the room to her in two quick strides, eyes piercing her. He grabbed her by the elbow and led her up the stairs to her room. When the door was closed, he crossed his arms over his chest expectantly. "Well?"

"Well, what?" She crossed to the bathroom and grabbed a towel so she could dry her hair.

"I'm not in the mood. Did he tell you anything useful?"

She stood in front of the floor length mirror, rubbing at her hair and watching the water puddle at her feet. "He didn't know. He said he thought one of the girls yelled that they'd seen them." She shrugged. "It was a dead end to ask him." She glanced over her shoulder at him. He looked positively wound up. A smirk crossed her lips. "Still no progress?" She pouted her bottom lip and walked toward him. "Is poor, wittle Rodolphus getting frustrated?" Before she had a chance to touch him, he moved out of her way. She smiled triumphantly. Bella moved across the room to change out of her wet clothes. "What angle are you using? Still the dead grandfather?" She peeled the layers of her dress away from her skin, then slid her new silk robe over her shoulders and removed her undergarments. Bella tied the robe securely around her waist.

"She offered to go to the funeral," he said, rolling his eyes.

Bella hung her wet clothes on the rack near the window. "Is the Italian still around? I could handle him if he's getting in the way."

"He's out of the country. She's already told me all about how he was talking about marriage and she's too young—" The aggravation was written all over his face.

"You need to up your stakes," Bella said, climbing to sit on top of the heavy wooden table. "You've got her sympathy, but she doesn't feel like the situation is desperate enough to get that close to you."

Blue eyes flashed up to look at her. "I'm listening."

Bella crossed one of her legs over the other, purposefully showing the milky white skin of her upper thigh to get a rise out of him. "Tell her that you only sought her out because of a mission and that you failed that mission because you fell in love with her." She could see the gears turning in his eyes. "A lie steeped in truth is usually the best way to deceive someone and give a convincing performance. Tell her that your grandfather didn't really die. Tell her that you're going to be executed tomorrow and you _had_ to see her again. That you had to know what it was like to truly live."

"Think that'll work?"

"I know it will," Bella said, grabbing a cigarette from the pack on the table and lighting it. "She's a teenage girl. She'll fall for it."

Blowing the smoke from between her lips, she stared at Rodolphus, eyebrows lifted. If she couldn't find a way to get off, at least she could enjoy herself teasing him. She watched as his eyes trailed her figure, then slowed at her visible skin. The temptation was there. She felt desire in the pit of her stomach at the almost animalistic way he stared at her. His blue eyes looked back up into hers.

"I'll make you a little wager, Trixie," he said, some of the tension falling from his shoulders. He ran a hand through his already unruly hair as he crossed the room toward her. Bella took another drag of the cigarette to busy her hands. That piercing stare of his had her locked in place. "If it works, I'll teach you how to pick through her mind using legilimency." He took the cigarette from her hands and inhaled deeply before stubbing it out on the table.

The very thought of invading someone's inner most thoughts sent her skin tingling in a delicious way. Rodolphus ran his fingertips up the length of her thigh. "And if it doesn't?" She questioned, trying to contain the breathlessness of her voice.

Rodolphus leaned in close to her ear; his breath sent shivers down her spine. "Hmmm." The deep tone of his voice reverberated throughout her body. His hand slid across to her inner thigh and higher, toward the edge of the silk robe. She leaned into him as he uncrossed her legs and placed himself between them. Her arms wrapped around his neck as he pressed his lips to the sensitive spot beneath her ear. His fingers brushed higher, taking the smooth fabric with it. He nipped at her ear. She had to bite her bottom lip to stifle the moan threatening to come from between her lips. He smiled against her skin. "If I could have anything in the world from you—" His fingers stroked against her soft spot.

All Bella could do was grasp on to him and close her eyes tight.

"I think," he whispered directly in her ear, his fingers drawing circles, "—We'll leave it at you owing me a favor." With his free hand, he slid the silk fabric from one of her shoulders. Rodolphus moved his lips to press a slow, tantalizing kiss to her collarbone.

Bella managed to gather her brain enough to ask, "What kind of-favor?" She bit her bottom lip and exhaled loudly through her nose as he continued to stroke against her.

Rodolphus took her earlobe between his teeth and tugged at the skin there. "Whatever I want," He whispered, then pressed another kiss in the crook of her neck. She could feel it coming; the sweet release. Just a little bit—

A rush of cold air. Her eyes snapped open and she saw him smirking at her from across the room. He adjusted the front of his trousers; not making any motion to hide the fact that he was turned on, too. She glared at him.

"Now, now, Trixie, you didn't think I'd let you get off if I couldn't get off, too, did you?" His wolfish grin sent a chill down her spine.

Bella adjusted the robe to cover herself back up. As tempting as it was to let him do things to her, she wasn't going to give in to him willingly. Her body had betrayed her. She had to be careful going forward. "Get out," she said.

"You haven't agreed to our wager," Rodolphus pointed out.

"Because it's going to work. There's no need for a wager," she spat at him as she climbed off of the table.

"Then what do you have to lose?"

Everything. She had everything to lose.

Rodolphus gave her a wolfish grin. "Get dressed."

Crossing her arms over her chest, Bella demanded. "Why?"

"Because we're having dinner with my family tonight."

* * *

A matter of time later, Bella took Rodolphus's arm, and, with a pop, they disappeared from the Leaky Cauldron and reappeared in front of one of the largest houses she'd ever seen. This wasn't the home she knew. While she'd only been to the Lestranges' once, she knew this wasn't it. The house itself reminded her of something one might find in the countryside, with tan colored stone on both the first and second floors. Giant balconies spread across the front. The windows were starkly white; the glass reflected the sinking sun from behind them.

Wonder crossed her face. It was absolutely the grandest estate she'd ever seen. Grander than any home she had lived in, or any of her friend's homes.

Bella caught sight of Rodolphus from the corner of her eye. He was staring at her, wolfish grin in place. He took her hand and tucked it into the crook of his elbow. They continued forward at a brisk pace. Bella noticed gardeners working hard on planting bushes and a garden on the south end of the manor.

Mr. and Mrs. Lestrange were waiting at the entrance of the house, accompanied by Rabastan and a long line of servants who kept their heads bowed. Roderick and Lysandra Lestrange were never the most talkative at parties or events. In fact, Lysandra, more often than not, spent the entirety of social events scowling at everyone else. She always hovered close to her husband's elbow, rarely letting him out of her sight.

In truth, Bella could not remember ever hearing a word come from between the woman's lips.

After the stiff greetings, they all entered the house. "Unfortunately, the house isn't ready yet," Lysandra said, glancing over her shoulder at Bella and her son. She kept a loose grip on her husband's arm. "We're waiting on the marble from Italy to finish the floors on the ground level." The mud room in which they entered was unfinished. The walls were bare and the floor was plain concrete. Bella followed, silently clutching to Rodolphus as they moved passed the entryway and into a room that had to be the size of her family's home in London.

Marble columns reached from the floor to the twenty-foot high ceilings. There were tarps strewn about, some covering objects and some lining the floor where the walls were being painted. A grand staircase spearheaded the room. It was the perfect sort of place to make an entrance. For a split second, she imagined herself coming down those stairs to the adoring gazes of pureblood society. That was something she could get used to.

"Lovely, isn't it?"

The pair stopped short behind the Lestranges. Lysandra was staring at Bella with an intense gaze.

"Yes, very," Bella commented in response, then immediately turned her eyes toward the ceiling. Her mouth opened. "Is that-?"

"A replica of the Sistine Chapel? Yes." Rodolphus's mother crossed to her and took Bella's free arm. "Walk with me. The men have matters to discuss before we have dinner."

Bella glanced up at Rodolphus. He quirked his eyebrows before turning to his father. She had no choice but to be whisked up the stairs by a woman she barely knew. "This house should be finished in a few weeks. The marble will be put in last, but once that's done, it will be move in ready." The pair took the stairs slowly, silently. Bella preferred to keep her thoughts to herself. "The second floor houses fifteen bedrooms, each fit with their own bath."

When they reached the top of the stairs, Lysandra steered her to the left. Covered paintings leaned against the walls. Vaguely, she wondered if the Lestranges had managed to get original work by da Vinci or Botticelli. It would only be fitting for the remainder of the motif of the house. "The master is this way," the woman commented, leading Bella toward a set of ornately carved double doors. She pulled her arm from Bella's hand and grabbed the doorknobs, pushing it open to reveal a bedroom nearly the size of the Slytherin common room. French doors lined one side of the room.

To give herself something to do other than stand awkwardly beside Lysandra, Bella crossed the expansive room and opened one of the doors. It led out onto one of the balconies she'd seen upon approaching the house. "West facing," Lysandra said, appearing near Bella's elbow. "For those days when you'd rather sleep in." She smiled then, and that smile sent a shiver down Bella's spine.

She realized where he got it from. It was the first time she ventured to look at the woman, but she could see the similarities between mother and son. The lips, the cheekbones, but, most of all, the eyes. Hers were colder. _Much_ colder. It unnerved her. Bella turned her attention away and moved back into the master suite of the house, venturing to open one of the side doors. Behind it was a grand bathroom, grander than she could have ever dreamed.

"What do you think, Bellatrix?" Lysandra asked from near the French doors.

Bella turned sharply to face the woman. She offered a polite smile, as was to be expected. "It is a lovely home. I am sure you and Mr. Lestrange are eager for it to be finished."

The woman gave an airy laugh, which caught Bella off guard. "Certainly, we are," she said. Bella forced back some of the tension in her shoulders and walked past Lysandra, to another doorway leading off of the main room. It led to a smaller room, which appeared to be completely finished. Carpeted floors, a wardrobe painted white, a rocking chair to match, and in the center of the room—She pulled back sharply to look at the mother. "This home isn't for my husband and I," Lysandra said, walking into the room to stand next to the white crib that matched the rest of the motif. "It's to be Rodolphus's, and, by marriage, yours."

Heart racing, Bella forced a smile. It was no wonder why they'd chosen an unfinished house for the site of their dinner this evening. While the engagement wasn't official yet, they were still very much so expected to get married. She was keenly aware of Lysandra's eyes on her every move. She glanced around the nursery a moment more before exiting back into the master bedroom.

"You don't seem very happy, Bellatrix. Is something…amiss?" Lysandra stood behind her. Bella would prefer the woman not see her right now. In fact, she'd give anything to be back at the Leaky Cauldron.

"Of course, not," Bella said, her tone even.

But of course, something was wrong. For the past several weeks, in the midst of Voldemort's mission, she'd nearly forgotten the real situation that she was in. The engagement party was only a few weeks away.

And Bella had promised herself that she would _not_ marry Rodolphus.

* * *

Dinner went off without much of an issue. Rodolphus threw thinly veiled insults at his brother across the table. Lysandra seemed more interested in her wine than in her family. Roderick was the only one who seemed curious. About her, about her plans. Even about the mission. He, of course, explained several times that he and Lord Voldemort were old friends from school. Everyone knew, so why did the man care to gloat about it so much?

By the end of dinner, it was obvious to Bella. Roderick wasn't the one in control of this family. No, it was Lysandra. When she did speak, she captured the attention of everyone at the table, her husband included.

Interesting.

And fascinating.

Never had Bella seen a family where the woman commanded the house. Aunt Walburga was close, but Uncle Orion always managed to maintain control. Walburga was more of a yappy dog while Lysandra was a sphinx.

Lysandra didn't need to speak to command the room.

By the time dinner was over she almost, _almost_ , dared to admire the woman.

"Did you wish to see the rest of the house, Rodolphus?"

"Not tonight, Mother," he responded, tucking Bella's hand into the crook of his arm. "My soon to be fiancé will want to settle in for the night, I'm sure."

A poisonous barb was on the tip of her tongue, but Bella held it back, instead gripping his arm with her hand. He didn't even flinch. "Thank you for having me," she said, offering a brilliant smile.

Once it was deemed proper for the pair to make an exit, Rodolphus led her outside and down the front lane. "What did you and my mother speak about?" He questioned. She couldn't help but notice the tense set to his shoulders.

"What? Scared I would tell _Mummy_ something about her precious baby boy that she wouldn't want to hear?" She teased, pulling her hand from his arm. He didn't let her get far. He grabbed her hand and then apparated them back to her room at the Leaky Cauldron. She yanked out of his grip and went directly to the bathroom to change out of her clothes and back into the comforts of her silk robe.

"What did she tell you?"

Bella poked her head out of the door, staring at him, incredulous. "What does it matter?" She removed her dress and slid the robe over her shoulders. She pulled her hair back and tied it at the nape of her neck to get it out of her face. "She showed me the house, the master suite, and—" She paused, remembering the white wash of the nursery. None of it was her taste.

"And?" He pressed.

With furrowed brows, Bella looked up at him. Was he nervous? His cheeks were red and his eyes were daggers staring at her. "And the nursery, already fully finished." She clenched her teeth together, sending him an equally hateful glare back.

Rodolphus turned his gaze down and ran a hand through his perfectly styled hair, messing it up. His behavior was disturbing almost. He'd been calm and collected the entire dinner. What had set him on edge now? The fact that she'd been alone with his mother?

"What's got your knickers in a twist?" She asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Nothing," he said too quickly. His eyes darted about the room, landing on the door, and he took a couple of broad steps toward it before—

"Where are you going?"

She'd seen him agitated, even annoyed. But the shifty way he moved, how he wouldn't look at her—he seemed crazed.

"I need a drink," Rodolphus said, hand resting on the doorknob.

Bella crossed the room and poured a glass of firewhiskey. "There's liquor here."

"It's best that I go elsewhere," he said, even though he didn't move any closer to the door.

"Why is that? Afraid you'll do something to do me?"

 _That_ got his attention. Rodolphus turned, pinning her with his hard stare. She leaned against the table, crossing one arm beneath the other as she took a deep sip of the drink. She watched him the entire time, as he contemplated staying or going. She didn't know why she was asking him to stay. In all honesty, she _couldn't_ know why she was asking him to stay. That would be admitting to far more than she wanted to right then.

Rodolphus stalked across the room. She smirked into her glass, only for him to rip it out of her hand a second later. He downed the remaining firewhiskey and threw the glass at the wall behind her. She flinched at the motion, unable to stop her body's reaction. He slammed his hands down on the table on either side of her, moving his face in close to hers.

"I'm not _afraid_ of doing anything to you," he said in a low, barely even tone. "I _know_ what I want to do to you, but I will _never_ force myself on you." While she knew she should be afraid of his barely contained madness, Bella found that she wasn't. There was something in his eyes that she recognized, something that she felt in her very core.

Bella didn't know what to do. She knew what her traitorous body wanted, but she also knew that giving in right now would be resigning herself to that white nursery in that gorgeous house.

Bellatrix Black wasn't one to give in.

His breath was on her skin, sending goosebumps prickling across her flesh. It was a game between them. That's all it ever had been. Who was going to give in first? That was always the question.

It wouldn't be her.

"We should get started on your plan to seduce Lupin," Bella said, the breathlessness of her voice betraying her hard exterior.

Rodolphus's eyes lit up and he gave her a wolfish grin. "Now _that_ is something I can get behind."

* * *

 _Dearest Rachel,_

 _I have to see you. Something has happened, and I fear if I don't see you now, I'll never see you again. Meet me at the Leaky Cauldron, room twelve._

 _Snake-boy._

* * *

Even though Bella was certain the urgent letter would work, she was less certain that the girl would fall for the entire story. Though she knew Lupin well enough to know that the girl was gullible, she also doubted herself. And doubted this little wager Rodolphus had placed in front of her. The last thing she wanted was to owe him something.

"She's not going to show," Bella said, perched on the windowsill overlooking Charing Cross Road. She took a deep pull of her cigarette and then flicked it into the street below. She climbed down from the window and began pacing the floor. She absolutely could not let him win this little wager.

Rodolphus had spent the better part of the day getting rid of anything that could potentially be incriminating from his room. "Stop pacing, Bella, you're irritating me," he snapped.

The funny thing was, she did stop pacing. He rarely called her by her normal name. Hearing him say it was a shock to her system. This had to go smoothly, for both of them.

A light knock sounded. Bella's eyes widened and she had to stifle a laugh. _It worked._ Rodolphus fidgeted with a vial in his hands as she crossed to his wardrobe and climbed inside. A second knock. She heard him climb onto the bed before, "C-come in."

Bella could barely hear the door as it creaked open. The wardrobe muffled everything. "Hey." Lupin. Oh, she couldn't wait to see the girl's face at the end of this. "What's wrong?" She thought she heard him sob. "Rodolphus?"

"It's over, Rachel. It's all over." He sniffed loudly. The room was quiet before, "I-I lied to you. My grandfather was never in Mungo's. I've been working on a m-mission." He even faked a hiccup. How had he gotten so good? It made her question every interaction she'd had with him. "And I've only just found out how life can be—" His voice rose an octave and she heard more blubbering.

"What happened? Tell me." The kindness in the girl's voice almost made Bella feel guilty. Almost.

"I was supposed to g-get information," he said. "That's why I approached you. I'm a—a D-death Eater. See." She could only imagine that he'd pulled his sleeve up to show his Dark Mark.

"You're—what?" Bella heard Rachel walk across the room.

"But that's not the worst part—" False desperation laced his voice. "I'm a failure, Rachel. He'll kill my family for dishonor. The Dark Lord doesn't want the family of a disappointment in his ranks. But I—" She heard him get to his feet. "Instead of getting information, I fell…and I—" He let out a loud whimper. "There were some Death Eaters in a field not long ago. Some school kids overpowered them. But the weird thing was that somehow, they knew the Death Eaters were there. Even though the Death Eaters were cloaked by magic and had no idea they were in the field to begin with! The Dark Lord thinks that one of the kids…" She could just imagine Rodolphus running his hands through his hair. It sent a shiver down her spine at his perfect image being ruffled. "That one of the kids sensed them there. He-He told me to find out who, but then I met you and I—"

Rodolphus gave a sharp intake of breath. "I fell in love with you, Rachel."

There was a shuffling of feet and what sounded like kissing. Merlin, she really _was_ that gullible. A moment later she heard the bed creak.

 _Gotcha._

Bella covered her ears, preferring not to hear the sounds of someone else having sex, especially since she hadn't been able to herself in weeks. She tried to tell herself a story. She sung in her head. Anything to get her mind off of the sounds in the room.

When she paused to listen, she heard her future fiancé let out a loud sigh and the mattress squeak as he must have been climbing off of the girl.

"That was the best goodbye I've ever received," she heard him say gently. "I'll miss you the most."

Pressing her ear against the wall of the wardrobe, Bella heard the girl reply, "I can help you. You just have to promise me that she won't be harmed." _She_. Yes. Good. "You have to promise me that."

They were so close.

"Please, Rachel, save me." She'd never heard him sound weak, vulnerable. It was unnerving. Even knowing it was an act, this entire situation was throwing her off.

"Quinn Cromwell."

Thank fucking Merlin. Of _course,_ it was Quinn Cromwell. Bella let out a bubbly laugh and shoved open the doors of the wardrobe. Rodolphus was lounged back against the pillows, eyes shining with mirth as he took her in. Rachel sat on the bed beside him, shame and confusion on her features. Bella grabbed the girl's clothes from the floor and threw them at her.

"The Dark Lord thanks you for your services, Little Lupin." She put her hands on her hips, watching as the mousy girl looked to Rodolphus for…whatever it was she was seeking. Bella couldn't care less.

The Death Eater, well, he climbed from the bed and shoved on his boxers, before sauntering toward her with a devious grin. He slipped his arms around her waist, pulling her back against his bare chest. "I don't believe you've met my fiancé. Bellatrix Black."

Bella felt a surge of control, like that night they tortured Dawson. She was even inclined to lean into the kiss he pressed against her neck. Her body relaxed back against him. _This_ was what they were good at.

Rachel moved toward the door then, but Bella was a step ahead. She flicked her wand to securely lock the door.

"You didn't think we'd let you go _that_ easily, did you?" The look on Rachel's face sent glee through Bella. Rodolphus tightened his arms around her. She tilted her head so she could look at him. "You made me a promise." She pouted out her bottom lip.

His own lips curled up. "Indeed, I did. For once, I'm glad I lost a bet."

Then she did something she didn't think she would. She kissed him. Full on the mouth, rough. Like that night they tortured together. She claimed his mouth with her own. Then turned back to the girl, who'd gone white with fear.

"Please, let me go."

" _Let me go_!" Bella mocked. Merlin, this was too good. She positively couldn't wait until she got back to Hogwarts and spread this around. Little Lupin wouldn't appear so innocent to everyone anymore. Everyone would know she was a slut; no better than any of the other girls. "I think not." She pulled out of Rodolphus's arms. "You see, I'm learning how to serve the Dark Lord, and we need willing subjects to show me how to _properly_ cast spells." She peered over her shoulder at Rodolphus, whose blue eyes were shining at her with pride…and something else, something more that she couldn't quite point out. She looked back at the girl.

"What are you going to do to me?"

"Why, we're going to pick through your mind, love. I want to see what happened that night."

"Wh-what?"

Rodolphus stood beside her now. He pressed his wand into her hand. "It's best to have eye contact," he whispered seductively in her ear, brushing her unruly hair back. "The spell is _Legilimens."_

Bella gripped his wand in her hand, a sinister smile curling at her lips.


	7. Chapter Seven

" _He's ignoring me," Rachel murmured to Quinn Cromwell, who was standing next to her. Lupin crossed her arms over her chest. Bella could almost sense the disappointment. But who was she talking about?_

" _He's a prick. Just forget about him," Quinn said, patting a hand on Rachel's shoulder. "He's not worth your time."_

 _Rachel turned her head and a light went off in Bella's mind. "Sirius?" She said aloud. "Honestly, Lupin, you really think that my cousin would go for_ _ **you**_." _Bella didn't allow the girl an opportunity to respond. "Let's get past all of this." She'd been watching the lame party initiated by Sirius and his friends for nearly ten minutes. Nothing good had even happened. Had it been a Bella-hosted party, surely_ _ **someone**_ _would be making out by that point. "Think about the moment you knew you were under attack."_

 _The girl's memories seemed to move in fast forward, but then slowed. Rachel was fighting it. "Tsk, tsk, Little Lupin. Do you want me to Crucio you?"_

 _Rachel's hold on the memories stopped and time sped up._

" _Rachel," Quinn whispered, grabbing on to her friend's arm. "You have to get everyone out of here._ _ **Now.**_ _" When Rachel turned to look at the red-haired girl, she noticed Quinn's face was lacking color. "Meet me at my house."_

" _What? Why?" Lupin was easily spooked. At least this time she had a right to be._

" _Just go!" There was fear in Quinn's voice, but also, resolve. "James! Get Lily, and Remus, and everyone and get them_ _ **out of here.**_ _I'm not kidding!"_

 _And yet, Quinn wasn't leaving._

 _No, the girl walked forward, in the direction of the back side of Knockturn Alley, and she cast "Stupefy!"_

" _What's going on?" A familiar voice questioned. Rachel turned her head, and there, in front of her, stood Andromeda._

"I think that's enough," Rodolphus said, pulling the wand from her hand.

Bella blinked and she was back in that room in the Leaky Cauldron. It smelled like sex…and fear. Her vision focused on Rachel Lupin, who was struggling with the doorknob. Rodolphus flicked his wand, the door unlocked, and the girl was fleeing down the hallway.

Stunned, Bella looked at him. "I was just getting started!" She stomped her foot for good measure.

"And what did you see?"

Her cheeks heated. "Andromeda lied to me." A strange smile crept over his features. "I have to go to Cornwall. Now." She grabbed her own wand from the table she'd set it on, but Rodolphus grabbed her wrist.

"No," he said, calm. "We have to report to the Dark Lord. Immediately, and get out of here in case anyone noticed the girl."

Yet again, he wrapped his arm around her waist and apparated out of the room.

They reappeared in a ramshackle building. They were standing in a dusty living room. The furniture was nearly thirty years out of date and falling apart. Bella swore she saw rats crawling across the cushions. "Where the hell are we?" She turned toward Rodolphus, who had slipped his sleeve up to reveal his Dark Mark. The red skull and snake reminded her of their first torture together. She couldn't help the look of wonder on her face.

"Can I…touch it?"

Rodolphus looked up at her, blue eyes curious, but not unkind. He extended his arm toward her, an open invitation.

Bella ran her fingers over the soft skin of his wrist and over the mark. It didn't feel any different than normal skin. Rodolphus extended his fingers upward, taking a gentle hold of her wrist. He tugged her toward him, softly pressing her to his chest.

"Soon, you'll have your own." His eyes glittered down at her.

Bella wanted to kiss him for saying it. But she didn't.

"This is how it works," Rodolphus whispered. He pulled his wrist out of her hand and then pressed his right forefinger on the mark. The vivid red darkened, appearing blood-like, before it changed to an inky black. The snake coming from the skull's mouth seemed to dance. "He'll want to know what you saw, and what you know about Cromwell."

"It isn't much," she admitted. "But I am glad to assist."

A distinctive _pop_ sounded in the room. "Rodolphus, my boy," Lord Voldemort said. Bella turned to face him. He looked almost dashing in his robes. "And Bellatrix. I hope you have information for me."

"We do, my lord," Rodolphus said, sinking to one knee. Bella followed in suit, lowering her head.

"Stand." The both of them rose to their full heights. "What is it?"

"I have a name for you. Cromwell. Quinn Cromwell. Bellatrix attends Hogwarts with her." Rodolphus glanced toward her, tipping his head in Voldemort's direction.

"My lord," she said, "I searched the mind of her friend for any clues as to how she knew your followers were there. Something came over her all of the sudden. She did manage to sense them, but we don't know how yet. I would be honored to spend my remaining time at Hogwarts seeking that information out for you."

Lord Voldemort regarded her carefully, thoughtfully, his thumb and forefinger tapping at his chin. "What else do you know of the girl?"

"She transferred to Hogwarts. Not your normal student. She's a Gryffindor golden girl. I haven't interacted with her, but she appears to be friendly with my cousin."

"Now, is that the cousin who betrayed the Black family name?" He posed.

Bella ducked her head, an attempt to hide her shame. "Yes, my lord."

"Good."

She looked up at him. "My lord?"

"I would like for you to follow the girl, learn her secrets. Figure out exactly what is so special about her. Once you do, report back to your—" He fixed Rodolphus with a stare. "—soon to be fiancé."

Bella wasn't one for disrespecting the Dark Lord, but how could she when she would be in Scotland—

"Rodolphus, I want you to put down residence in Hogsmeade. Come up with some story or other as a cover. I think it best the two of you remain _close_ , given your impending nuptials."

Dread filled Bella's stomach. Perhaps if she did this, if she managed to give the Dark Lord what he wanted, he would let her forget about the marriage contract.

His emotions unreadable, Rodolphus lowered his head. "Yes, my lord."

Voldemort turned to Bella then, reaching to take one of her hands. "I look forward to your birthday party, my dear," he said, his voice low, almost…sultry. Her stomach flipped as he brought her hand to his lips and pressed a kiss against her skin. "Rodolphus, I will see Miss Black back to the Leaky Cauldron." Her eyes widened at his words. She cast a glance toward Rodolphus. He didn't look at her, but she could see the tense set of his jaw.

"My lord?" She questioned. He did not respond to her. Instead, he threaded his fingers through hers and faced Rodolphus fully.

"You may go, Lestrange."

Bella didn't understand, but it seemed like she would get no explanation. Rodolphus merely bowed his head and then apparated away.

A heavy silence filled the room. He let go of her hand. "You have impressed me, my girl." Voldemort tipped her chin up to better look at her. "Your father will be very pleased." Bella didn't care about her father. If all she ever did in life was gain the Dark Lord's favor, she would consider her dreams fulfilled. "Tell me, are you happy?"

Bella blinked, confused by the question. "My lord?"

"Are you happy? With the mission, with Rodolphus, with…life."

"Yes."

"You answered that very quickly," he commented with a smile. "Be truthful, Bella." How could she tell him that her only goal in life was to serve him? He must have seen her hesitation, because his lips curled into a wider smile. "You can be honest with me."

"I…" She lowered her gaze. "Rodolphus is teaching me many things. I enjoy that."

"Like what?"

"Curses, skills, things that are all meant to help me serve you better."

Voldemort sauntered across the room, staring at her the entire way. "And how do you feel about marrying him?"

What in the world could he gain from this? She was in a hard place. If she admitted the truth, she risked displeasing him after receiving such praise. If she lied, she would resign herself to that life with him. "I—It's a smart match," she finally said.

From the look on his face, he already knew how she felt. "Indeed, I do," he said, as though he'd read her thoughts. "You forget that I am a very skilled legilimens, Bellatrix." He clasped his hands together behind his back. "I suggested the match to your parents and the Lestranges when you were born. I'd witnessed the elder Lestrange boy's behavior from an early age. I knew he would not be worthy of the child of Cygnus and Druella Black. I _knew_ that you would be special." He approached her slowly. "I knew that you would be great, and you would need a partner to match that greatness. Rodolphus showed me from the time he was a toddler that he was more like his mother than his brother was."

Bella bit her bottom lip, focusing on keeping her features indifferent. She was failing.

"You don't love him, I know. But love is not needed in marriage," he said. "Pureblood marriage accomplishes one things: heirs. If our kind die out, then we leave the wizarding world to the mudbloods and blood traitors, and we can't do that, now can we?"

Bowing her head, Bella said, "No, my lord."

"Your father said you were a willful thing." Voldemort tipped her head up to look at him and brushed her dark locks out of her face. "I believe sometimes children act out with their parents, but it is no indication of the people they will be. And you, my darling Bellatrix—" He let out a breathy laugh. "—you will be _great_." He leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers in a chaste kiss. There was no feeling, no warmth. Just skin. "Marry Rodolphus, do your duty, continue to please me, and you will have a place at my side when we take this world for our own."

* * *

The Dark Lord was true to his word. He deposited her safely in Diagon Alley, and escorted her to the back entrance of the Leaky Cauldron. When she got back to her room, Bella was floating in a sea of confusion. Her thoughts moved from Voldemort's words, to the actions of her soon to be fiancé. Could she accept this marriage at his behest? Was her only value in the children she could produce? Or was it merely survival of their race that fueled his request for her to marry Rodolphus?

 _You will have a place at my side when we take this world for our own._

A whispered promise. He wasn't asking her to love him. He wasn't asking her to do the things Rodolphus demanded of her. He merely wanted her to make children. Was that something she was willing to do?

Two letters sat on the table. She immediately recognized Cissy's tidy scrawl. The second one was a handwriting that she didn't recognize. She'd half hoped it was Dromeda. Anger resurfaced. Earlier, she hadn't the chance to act on what she'd seen in Lupin's head.

Andromeda lied to her face.

The thing was, Bella wasn't surprised.

There was a quick knock at the door, and then Rodolphus burst in without being invited. Like he always did.

Bella rolled her eyes and turned to the letter from Cissy, ripping the seal open, and pretending that she had better things to do than entertain him. "We need to talk about Cromwell."

"Because _that's_ why you burst in here," she said, taking a seat in one of the heavy chairs next to the table. She skimmed over the letter, only picking things from here and there from her sister's words. She mentioned that Andromeda had spent the majority of the summer locked in her room, only coming out for meals where their father demanded it.

Rodolphus's heavy footsteps sounded as he crossed the room. "Do you think Cromwell will be persuaded to our side?"

Bella went on with the letter, purposefully ignoring him. The last thing that she wanted right now was to talk to him. He still reeked of sex and smoke. And firewhiskey. A lot of firewhiskey. He must have had several drinks while waiting for her to get back. _I do wish you would return to Dorminack Manor, Bella. The summer has been quite boring without—_

Rodolphus ripped the letter from her hand and balled it up, tossing it over his shoulder.

"That was quite rude," she said.

"We have a mission to finish."

"I would like just _one_ evening when you're not bombarding me. Go away. _Accio letter_." The balled-up parchment flew into her hand. She went about smoothing it on the table's flat surface.

From the corner of her eye, she saw the anger on his face. She didn't care. She was exhausted. He stayed that way for a minute more, before murmuring something to himself and leaving the room. She waved her wand and heard the audible click of the door. Then she reached for the second letter. A wax seal she didn't recognize was on the back. Bella slipped her finger beneath the paper, opening it.

 _Bella,_

 _I'm sorry. Can I see you?_

 _Corban._

* * *

Night had fallen. Bella was comfortably lounging back on her bed, the sheets rumpled up around her waist. Yaxley snored lightly beside her. She glanced over at him as she lit a cigarette. The way his hair fell into his eyes was oddly endearing. She scowled at the thought. He looked young. Innocent, almost, laying there prone to any sort of danger. It took no time for him to show up at her door. He'd apologized profusely, begged for her forgiveness.

If for no other reason than to get laid, Bella told him she did.

But now, over an hour after they'd finished, she still felt unsettled. She'd hoped to feel relaxed after a roll in the sack, but she wasn't. In fact, she felt more wound up now than she had before. Bella brushed the hair away from his forehead, then took a drag of her cigarette. She put out the cigarette and blew out the candle beside her bed.

What she'd told Yaxley that night was true. She wasn't capable of love. Her heart was cold as ice, and nothing could thaw it. Bella settled into the pillows and closed her eyes. She saw a pair of blue eyes and a wicked smile staring back at her. Her own eyes snapped open. The room was fully dark and it took a while to get adjusted to the dim lighting of Charing Cross Road below.

 _Marry Rodolphus, do your duty, continue to please me, and you will have a place at my side when we take this world for our own._

Was her freedom something that she would be willing to sacrifice if it meant being by Voldemort's side?

Sleep evaded her, so Bella decided to take a long, hot bath instead. Maybe that would relax her. All she knew was that Yaxley didn't do it for her anymore. She was disappointed, but unsurprised. She needed to find someone else.

 _Rodolphus._

His name whispered through her mind, caressing her in the dark as she made her way to the bathing room.

He was attractive, that was truth. From what she'd experienced, he did know his way around a woman's body. But what would happen if she conceded? Would he laud it over her forever? Or was it possible…

As she slipped into the hot water, Bella couldn't help but wonder if it was possible that the two of them could make a partnership work. If only to achieve their own goals separately. Was it possible that they could work together? She didn't have to love him to marry him. She didn't have to love him to serve the Dark Lord.

 _You will be his greatest ally. You will sell your soul for him. But he will love you, better than any other._

The words from her last night at Hogwarts floated through her mind as Bellatrix fell asleep in the hot water.


	8. Chapter Eight

[MAJOR TRIGGER WARNING FOR THIS CHAPTER. T/W: Abuse]

After weeks away, Bella had finally returned to Dorminack Manor. Since reporting to Voldemort, she and Rodolphus had spent countless hours doing reconnaissance and making plans. Initially, he wanted to attack the train to Hogwarts, but Bella counseled caution. If Lupin had reported back to Cromwell that the Dark Lord had her name, there was no doubt Dumbledore knew as well. If that was the case, he most likely had figured out putting Cromwell on a train wasn't the safest option.

No, all that was left was the wait until September 1st.

And her birthday party.

The last several weeks had been spent in Diagon Alley, looking for any sight of Cromwell or her friends. None had shown their faces. Everyone from that party seemed to have gone underground. Even with Hogwarts starting in a couple of weeks, the lack of students in the shops was curious. Not quite enough to worry yet.

Bella figured the headline about the student attacked early in the summer was probably why parents were keeping their school aged children at home.

The only thing that had changed at Dorminack Manor was the number of servants flitting about. The Blacks kept a dozen servants to tend to the house and family when they were in residence, but there were at least a hundred new faces wandering about the halls, carrying trays or linens, using their wands to decorate the ballroom (a room that seemed much smaller now that she'd seen the house intended for her soon-to-be betrothed). Most of them steered clear of her, which she was grateful for. If she had to give a falsely pleasant greeting to one more person today, she thought she would scream.

Bellatrix turned seventeen at midnight. Tomorrow was the party. That gave her less than twenty-four hours to decide on her situation.

While she'd promised herself so many things regarding the impending marriage, she knew that her path forward would have to include him if she wished to serve the Dark Lord. If she refused Rodolphus, she would be refusing the one thing she'd always wanted. The only thing, really. Was it worth the risk to refuse him?

 _Of course, not,_ she answered herself as she lay back on her bed and stared at the black canopy above her. Her legs extended against the headboard. She'd been that way for nearly an hour. Ever since getting back, she'd holed up in her room, avoiding her family.

Bella didn't think that she could see her sister without losing her cool tonight. It would be better tomorrow, when there were more people around, people that she had to impress.

But for tonight…contemplation.

It was all that she could do. She'd already gone through the dozens of letters responding to the invitations to the party. A few were regrets, but most were honeyed letters wishing her success in her future endeavors. All of them were trying to suck up to the family. She didn't care about any of those wishes. All she cared about was getting rid of the uncertainty in her gut.

Why did this have to be so difficult? Either she made the commitment to Rodolphus or she went into exile. There was no third option where she could remain a part of the family and not marry Rodolphus. It would be an offense in the highest regard. Not only to her own family, but to the Lestranges, and also, to Voldemort himself.

A position at his side was at stake. She had to be willing to forsake herself to obtain the only thing she ever allowed herself to want.

Her only hope was that Rodolphus didn't destroy her in the process.

A sharp knock at the door broke Bella's peace and quiet. She scowled to herself. "Come in," she said, but didn't move from her spot on the bed. The door clicked open and then closed and she heard bare footsteps cross the hardwood floor. When she glanced over, she was greeted by Cissy's blue eyes and blonde hair. "What is it?"

"You've been holed up in here all day," Narcissa said, climbing onto the bed and sitting on her knees. "Are you okay?"

The quiet concern in her youngest sister's voice was a shock to Bella's senses. She was so used to Cissy being so self-involved that the expression on her face and the tone of her voice truly confused her. "I'm fine," Bella lied, staring back at the black canopy above her. "It's getting late. You should go to bed if you're going to the party tomorrow night." Normally, that would have been enough to get Narcissa to go away. But something was different with her. Something had changed. Bella waited another moment to see if Cissy would leave, and, when she didn't, Bella glanced over at her again. "What is it?" She repeated.

"Andromeda told Mother and Father that she won't marry Lucius Malfoy."

 _That_ was news. Bella sat up so quickly that the room spun. "She did _what_?!"

"They had a huge row about an hour ago. Dromeda packed her things and left."

"Where did she go?" Bella demanded, climbing from the bed and going to the closet to find something to wear out. "Why didn't anyone come get me?" She rifled through her wardrobe, tossing clothes over her shoulder. She would need something that she could move around easily in. Pants it was, then.

"I, personally, think that Lucius is quite handsome. Why would Andromeda refuse him?"

Bella shoved on a pair of pants and the simplest shirt that she could find. She grumbled beneath her breath as Cissy kept rambling.

"I mean, he's the perfect proper pureblood." Cissy had draped herself across Bella's bed.

"Where did she go?" Bella asked as she shoved on a pair of her boots without a heel.

"I don't know. Mother and Father said to let her go. She can't get far." Of course, the youngest Black sister was still in her own daydreams of a marriage in the future. Bella just rolled her eyes. "Besides, arranged marriages aren't all that bad. Look at you and Rodolphus."

Bella scowled. "I'm going to get her. I expect you to be gone by the time I get back," Bella said, charging from the room. She made her way through the corridor and then down the large staircase. By the time she reached the bottom, however, someone stepped in her way, forcing her to stop short.

"I hope you're not running away, too." Cygnus Black was an imposing figure in the darkness. Bella slid her wand into her hand.

"Of course, not," Bella said, taking a step back. She needed space between them. She could smell the bourbon on his breath. Her hand tightened around her wand.

"Then where are you running off to?"

The grandfather clock struck. Bella spared only a glance to see that midnight had come. She was seventeen.

"Ah, there it is. My bright, beautiful girl is seventeen." Cygnus took a step toward her and she jumped back. He was drunk. "Come here, darling—"

Bella pointed her wand directly in his face. "Don't take another step," she warned, her voice a low growl.

"What? Are you going to use magic against me?"

"I'll do what I have to," she posed, side stepping in an attempt to get around him. "I'm going to get my sister and bring her back, whatever it takes."

"Your sister is almost as much of a fool as you are," he said, leaning against the bannister of the staircase. "At least _you_ have the sense to realize a smart match and don't go around refusing men willing to take you."

Bella sneered at him. Her wand shot red sparks at the edge of the carpet. It ignited, but she moved quickly to stomp the small flames out.

"Now, _that_ is the Bellatrix I know," he said, roaring with laughter. "Willful, disobedient to her own father. I'll be glad to have you off my hands—" He lunged at her, but Bella took advantage of being seventeen and apparated beyond him, to the other side of the entrance hall, grateful that Rodolphus had taken the time to show her the spell last week. Her father looked around in the darkness dumbly, then spotted her.

"Why, you—"

"I'm sorry," she whispered, pointing her wand at him. " _Stupefy._ " A bolt of red light hurled from the tip of her wand and directly into the center of his chest. His entire body seized and he fell over onto the floor, hard. She walked over to him, getting directly into his face. "Not so much fun now that I can fight back is it?"

Bella didn't waste another moment. She fled from the house, her mind going over where Dromeda could have possibly gone. Bella wasn't practiced enough with apparition to go farther than a few feet yet, so she would have to settle for running. She made her way quickly down the winding drive that led away from the house and the beach. Some time later, she stopped, out of breath, and found her sister.

Andromeda was sitting on a bus bench, all of her bags at her feet. She let out a heavy breath and walked slowly toward her. "Have you gone mad?" She demanded as her sister spotted her and stood quickly. She held her wand out, but hesitated. "Come on, we're going back." She reached for her sister's hand, but Dromeda pulled back quickly.

"I don't want to go back," she stated.

"You don't have a choice," Bella ground out. The image of Andromeda at that party in the field flashed through her mind. In her panic that her sister was running away, she hadn't even fathomed why she was avoiding Dromeda.

"Bells, I won't marry him," Dromeda said, crossing her arms over her chest.

"You won't marry Lucius. You lied to me." Her sister's blue eyes widened, and Bella thought she saw a flicker of fear pass on her sister's face. "What else, Dromeda? Are you going to get yourself disowned like _Sirius_?" Her sister's mouth opened, but then closed tight. Defiance resurfaced in her blue eyes. "I can't even begin to understand _why_ you went to spend time with those Gryffindors. And then lied to me."

"You'd just tortured a boy and I thought you were going to do the same thing to me," her sister replied, her voice uncertain. "I can't do this life. Not like you can. I'm not meant for it, I know it."

Bella tried to hold on to her anger, but she could see the way her sister deflated. She lowered her wand. "You can't lie to me," she finally said, the anger gone from her voice. "You have to be honest with me, no matter what." Andromeda didn't immediately reply. Bella glanced over her shoulder, back the way she'd come.

"Even if I'm terrified of you?" Her voice was small.

Turning back to Andromeda, Bella felt her features soften. The tension she'd been holding on to so tightly went out of her. "You don't have to be afraid of me," she whispered, stepping toward her younger sister. She could see tears in Dromeda's eyes. Bella wrapped her in a hug. "I would never hurt you." Her sister's shoulders shook. After a moment, she pulled back to look at her.

"I don't want to marry him," Dromeda said. "I can't."

Bella nodded, ushering her sister back up the street. With a flick of her wand, Dromeda's bags levitated and followed behind them. "We'll figure something else out for you," she said, finally getting her sister on the track back home. "Besides, Cissy is positively obsessed with him. I think it would break her heart if you married him." She nudged Andromeda, hoping for a smile. But nothing. "I'm sorry if I frightened you that day. I…I was afraid. If the Dark Lord knew you were associated with the people in that field, something terrible could happen and I—" She stopped before her breath could hitch. "I won't let anything happen to you, Dromeda."

"I know, Bells, you always take care of me," she replied. "But sometimes I wonder why you won't let anyone else take care of you.

* * *

Bella felt hungover when she woke up the next morning.

The clock on the mantle chimed the hour. How was it already mid-afternoon? She climbed from the bed, wishing that the party wasn't today. Tomorrow. Tomorrow would be better. She was in too foul of a mood to entertain today. Not that she would have a choice.

It was her birthday, and celebrating was the last thing on her mind.

After a long bath, Bella dressed in her robe and found her way to the vanity so she could sort out what she was going to do with her hair. This was her presentation into society. She had to look the part that she was playing. Proper. Pureblood. Wife. Or soon to be, at least.

A knock sounded at the door. Without invitation, Druella pushed her way into Bella's room. "You're finally awake. Should I have a tray brought up?"

"No," Bella replied, staring into her golden eyes in the mirror.

Her mother let out a harrumph, putting her hands on her hips. "You need to eat, Bellatrix. You're looking pale."

Bella spared a withering glance at her mother before turning back to look at herself. "It doesn't matter," she murmured. "Tonight isn't about me. Not really."

Druella crossed the room and placed a hand on her daughter's shoulder. The contact was so alien that she recoiled away, almost too quickly to cover. She stood from her stool and made her way toward the large room that was an overflow of her wardrobe. The dress had been made weeks ago. She pulled the dress in its garment bag out into her room, where her mother stood, staring curiously at her. She ignored Druella and moved to her bed to lay out the dress. No one had lain eyes on it yet, save Bella, and the seamstress that she employed to make it.

She knew her parents would never approve.

"Well, are you going to show me?" Druella asked from behind Bella.

"No," she replied. "You'll see the same as everyone else. You can go." Dismissive. Because she knew even if she did show her mother the dress, all she would say were negative things. Bella didn't need any more negativity in her life.

"I wanted…" Druella hesitated. She never hesitated. Bella turned to face her. "Thank you, for bringing Andromeda home. If she'd gotten away, or word had reached the rest of the families—"

Bella couldn't tell what her mother was feeling. The woman refused to look at her. She wrung her hands together, nervous. "I was doing my duty to this family," she said. "More than you've ever done." The words came out far more bitter than Bella intended. Her mother looked up at her, something like hurt written in her blue eyes—eyes that both of Bella's sisters had inherited.

"There was something else that I wanted to speak to you about—"

Bella let out a dramatic sigh. "Can't it wait? The party is in two hours, and no doubt it's going to take that long for me to get ready."

Druella lowered her head ever so slightly. Was that…was she _bowing_? Her mother didn't say another word. She moved to the door and exited near silently. Odd.

All she could do was shake her head and get back to business. She moved to the bag and unzipped it, working the heavy garment to splay it across her large bed. It was beautiful craftsmanship. She'd paid the woman nearly double her asking price in order to have it made quickly. While it was traditional for a debutante to wear white to their introduction to society, Bella felt the circumstances warranted another color. She wasn't some virginal debut. Tonight was not only her introduction but her engagement.

Bella may have resigned herself to this marriage, but that didn't mean she was going to take it silently.

* * *

It took Bella far too long to style her hair. She spent over half an hour deciding on an updo before fixing it herself. Bobby pins, a potion to keep it in place, and there. A simple chignon at the base of her skull. She'd wanted to add in a braid or two, but couldn't do it on her own. She dared not to ask for help with this. There would be more than enough women for the wedding that could style her hair for her. Tonight, this would do.

The small mirror beside her jewelry box showed the arrival of the Lestranges. The other party guests wouldn't be far. She scowled as Rodolphus came into sight, but that scowl slowly softened as he smoothed down the lapels of his jacket and even ran a hand through his hair. He looked up at someone and said something, flashing his devil may care grin before he moved out of sight.

Well. _He_ was all in.

The door opened suddenly. Her fathered peered around the room before his eyes settled on her. There may have been another reason she'd stayed in her rooms today. She didn't exactly un-stun him last night when she brought Andromeda home. She left him at the bottom of the stairs, a reminder that she wasn't the same girl she once was. She could see the fury in his cold eyes as he slammed her door shut.

"Daughter."

"Father," she turned back to the mirror, focusing on her breathing, on releasing the tension in her body. She needed to keep a careful mask of cool indifference. She hated him, and if he hadn't known it before last night, he certainly did now.

"Did you honestly think you could get away with your little stunt last night?"

Bella reached for her makeup, focusing intently as she sharpened an eyeliner pencil. "What stunt was that? Stunning you, or bringing back your daughter when you failed to do so?" She blinked, daring to fix him with a stare.

Cygnus's face had turned red. There was a fury in his eyes that she hadn't seen in quite some time. Fear pooled in her belly. She'd done it now. He darted for her, but she moved quickly away from the vanity, in the direction of the bathroom. Her wand was in there. If she could get inside, she could lock him out. She was nearly there when he grabbed a fistful of her hair and yanked her backwards. She lost her footing and stumbled back into him.

"You are nothing but a little slut," he growled in her ear. His arm wrapped tightly around her waist and walked her back toward the vanity, forcing her to face it. "Do you see that? That's the face of a whore. A disgrace to any good name in the magical world. You think I don't know about your antics at Hogwarts? Did you think that Corban Yaxley _wasn't_ told to keep you occupied so you couldn't sully my name up further?" Cold pierced her heart. That wasn't possible. Yaxley loved—No. It had all been a ploy. She stared at her father's reflection in the mirror. "You're _lucky_ that Rodolphus is still willing to have you." He released her, shoving her away from him.

Bella landed hard against the vanity, her forearms taking the brunt of the edge. Merlin, she hoped that didn't break the skin. It would be hard to cover that in the dress she was wearing tonight.

Cygnus didn't give her long to recover. He yanked her once more by the hair and turned her to face him, backhanding her sharply across the jaw. Her head turned to the side. She could taste blood in her mouth, hot and metallic. Very slowly, she turned to look at him, her nostrils flaring at the barely contained rage in her heart. "I would gladly spend the rest of my life with Rodolphus as long as it got me away from you." She spit blood in his face. It was what she needed for him to let her go.

Bella had to get out of here. She ran for the door, but knew before she even touched it that it would be locked. When she looked back at her father, his wand was pointed in her direction. A flick of his wand and a wordless spell later, Bella was thrown bodily across the room. Her wrist popped and she had to fight against the cry threatening to come up her throat. This couldn't be happening. Not today.

Before she could recover, her father's weight was against her, shoving her hard against the wall. One of his hands wrapped around her throat and tightened, cutting off her breath. She wheezed, trying to fight him off, but she was seeing dark spots in her vision. He tightened his grip, then yanked her away from the wall and threw her to the floor.

Gasping for breath, Bella tried to pull herself across the room toward the door. _Escape._

But it wouldn't be.

Cygnus grabbed her foot and roughly turned her onto her back. Then he pinned her to the floor with a large foot on her chest. "You aren't his yet, Bellatrix. You're still mine." He pulled his foot back and then slammed the sharp toe of his shoe into her ribs. Something _definitely_ cracked. She doubled over to the side, trying and failing to get enough oxygen.

Would he kill her now?

Her father rolled her onto her back once more, then straddled her on the floor. The entire time, Bella gasped for air. He leaned down close to her face, grabbing her by her face. "This is for that little stunt."

The door was shoved open. Bella didn't have the energy to turn to see who it was, but her father's motions stilled. Then, she heard, "Daddy?"

Dromeda.

Cygnus climbed quickly to his feet. "Andromeda," he beckoned her further into the room. Bella managed to turn her head to see her sister, pale and frozen to the spot near the door. "Did you need something?"

Bella couldn't stay in this room. When Cygnus moved toward her sister, she climbed haphazardly to her feet and limped as quickly as she could toward the door.

It didn't matter that there was a party. It didn't matter that everyone had come for her. All that mattered was getting as far away from her father as she possibly could. Bella moved down the hallway toward the back staircase, but found a litany of servants moving about. They pretended not to see her, but she knew they all did. Cold tears ran down her cheeks as she turned around and went back up the corridor.

At the top of the stairs stood Rodolphus.

 _Fuck._

Bella inhaled sharply and wiped at her bleeding mouth, her eyes wide as he took her in. Her hair was a mess, her robe was skewed, and half of her face was bloody. What would he do? She stared at him, not even trying to hide the fear in her eyes.

"Rodolphus, is something wrong?" A voice called from down the stairs.

He glanced toward the voice. "No, Mother. I just need to have a chat with my…nervous bride-to-be." He turned back to Bella, then took several large steps toward her. She took a half step back, but grimaced at the pain in her leg. Had he gotten her there, too?

Then he did something curious, he put a gentle arm around her shoulders and ushered her into the nearest door, closing it soundly behind them. He turned to look at her, his blue eyes roving over her face, her clothing, her entirely. "Cygnus," he said. A statement, not a question. How could he possibly know? She couldn't help the tears welling in her eyes once more. He pulled out his wand and went to work on her cheek, and then on cleaning the blood from her face and mouth. He handed her a monogrammed handkerchief. She wiped at the tears falling down her cheeks, wondering how he was so calm right now. And how he knew.

The unasked question was in her eyes, but he didn't acknowledge it. No, he pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. That kiss radiated throughout her body, helping her to calm down. She closed her eyes and leaned into it, grateful that he wasn't berating her or using this against her.

"Where else?" Rodolphus said, looking for any other visible markings. Bella extended her sore wrist. He went to work with his wand and she felt relief course through her veins.

Bella broke away from him, eyes scouring the room they were in. A vacant guest room. "Rodolphus, I-I don't even want to stay for this stupid party." She turned, imploring him with her eyes. "Can we just leave? Tell everyone we're engaged and be done with it?"

It was the most vulnerable she'd ever dared to be in front of him, but how could she go into that party down there with this on her mind?

Rodolphus moved slowly toward her, placing his hands gently on her shoulders. "If we could do that, pet, I never would have showed up. Just flooed you to a pub or something." He offered her a grin. She felt the corners of her mouth twitch, threatening to return the gesture. She cleared her throat, but that sent her into a half double over. Without a word, Rodolphus tugged open the front of her robe and inspected her side. Yep. Those were definitely broken. "This is going to be okay," he whispered as he waved his wand. Relief coursed through her side as the bones knit back together.

Bella lowered her gaze and gave a quick nod. "Thank you."

When she made to move for the door, he reached up, lifting her chin so she would look at him. With his other hand, he smoothed her hair down again. Why was he being like this with her? All she'd really known with him was cruelty. Was it possible…? His signature grin crossed his lips. "C'mon, call me a bastard and give me a smile, eh?"

Why was he cheering her up?

This made no sense. She couldn't help the small smile that found its way to her lips. "You really _are_ a bastard."

"Yeah, yeah," he said, rolling his eyes. "I'll be right there all night, okay?"

Bella could only nod. Because she was absolutely speechless at this kindness he was showing her.

"Besides, I have your diamond," he teased, working the syllables of diamond into several more than were in the word. She picked up her head, finding that familiar gleam staring back down at her. "But you can't see it until you're all dressed up and have a smile, fake or not, plastered on those wicked lips."

And to make his point, he kissed her then. Gentle, not rushed or passionate as he'd kissed her the night they tortured together. His lips were soft against hers, before he broke away, smiling again.

Maybe being married to Rodolphus Lestrange wouldn't be so bad.

* * *

Bella was a vision in red. When Druella came to retrieve her, Bella expected a scowl or a reprimand, but her mother didn't say a word. She seemed almost wistful as she motioned for her to come. It was time. The dress had a plunging sweetheart neckline. The bodice studded with rubies fit tightly, accentuating her tiny waist. Layers of silk and chiffon spilled over her hips, cascading like rivulets of blood. Smaller rubies were stitched into the over layers of the skirt, sending sparkles of red when she walked beneath the chandelier in her room.

Cissy had saved her. She'd been waiting in Bella's room when she returned, and she took over. She fixed Bella's hair, insisting on her wearing it down, with a tasteful comb set with red diamonds—a family heirloom that their mother had given to Cissy on her thirteenth birthday—to pin most of her hair out of her face. She helped her older sister with applying tasteful amounts of makeup. It was enough to make her golden eyes pop, but not overkill.

With a deep breath, Bella left the relative safety of her bedroom and into the hallway. She focused on her breathing. Not that that was an easy task. The bodice was tight enough to choke another person.

Ruby and diamond teardrops dangled from her ears. And the final piece, the most expensive piece: a whorling spiral necklace, inlaid with diamonds that caught the light. In the center was the largest ruby she could get her hands on. Tasteful was her goal, and she hoped that she achieved it.

Cool air rushed over her skin, sending chills down her spine, as she stepped down the corridor, in the direction of her father. Movement from behind him caught her eye. Andromeda in a stunning shade of bright blue pushed past Cygnus, flashing a hard stare at Bella as she took the stairs down. She couldn't deal with her sister right now. Bella pushed a slow breath from between her teeth as she approached the man. He extended his arm. She hesitated for a moment, but knew that this was custom. She wouldn't have taken the proffered arm any other time.

The small ballroom came into sight as they rounded the end of the wall. Bella steeled herself, taking long, slow breaths before they reached the top of the grand staircase.

This was her moment. The biggest moment in her life so far. She lifted her head, unable to stop a smirk from playing across her lips. She was proud to be pureblood. Proud to be a part of a great mission. Proud to serve the Dark Lord and show the rest of the world that she wouldn't take things quietly.

Cygnus stood beside her, allowing a moment for the entire room to take her in. There were a few whispers, but it was mostly gasps of what Bella took to be wonder. Yes. She was breaking tradition with the color of her dress, but did they really expect anything less of her? He nudged her gently, and she cut a glance at him, before turning back to the room. While the room was stunning, she knew that no one would be thinking of the decorations. Every pair of eyes was on her and her alone.

Bellatrix lived for these moments.

Her smile was genuine as she searched the room. She never thought she would care what Rodolphus thought of her. But, deep down, she was seeking his approval in her appearance. She knew she was beautiful, but to see it in the eyes of another was something else entirely.

When she spied Rodolphus, he stood at the bottom of the staircase, staring back at her. His eyes glimmered up at her, and she couldn't bite back the smile that found its way to her lips. There he was. Waiting for her. An odd wave of warmth passed through her as they continued the descent. She focused only on him. He was infuriating, and handsome, and intelligent. He was everything she never wanted in a marriage. But he was also the only person that could look at her and know exactly what she was feeling or what was going on.

This was the moment. The one that would set the course of the rest of her life.

As they reached the bottom of the stairs, Cygnus released her arm and Rodolphus stepped forward, lowering onto one knee as he took her left hand into his. "Bellatrix Black, of the Most Noble and Ancient House of Black, I beg of you to accept my courtship and extend to you my honest affections and my hand in marriage. Do you accept?"

The room was entirely silent as she looked down at him, seeing something in his eyes that she couldn't quite decipher. Was it affection? Or was it fear? Things moved in slow motion. While she wanted to take it in, to see all of the people who had come to witness this moment, his stark blue eyes held her there. This was it. There was no turning back now. "I accept," she said, her voice loud and proud.

The corners of Rodolphus's mouth twitched. It wasn't over yet. He turned toward Cygnus. "Cygnus Black, of the Most Noble and Ancient House of Black. Do you accept my courtship and offer of marriage to your daughter?" He stared so intensely at Bella's father that she thought Cygnus might implode.

"I accept," her father said. "I give you my daughter's hand in marriage."

In that moment, something changed. Her world shifted. This moment right here. This was what she'd been waiting for and she never knew it. She watched as Rodolphus pulled a large diamond ring from his pocket and slid it on to her ring finger. It was beautiful, and absolutely her tastes. She let out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding as he rose to stand beside her, in front of the assembly. He took her hand in his delicately as her father cleared his throat.

"I proudly announce the engagement of my daughter Bellatrix to Rodolphus Lestrange. The wedding will take place later this fall." He gave a quick tip of his head toward the back of the crowd. Bella followed his gaze to see Lord Voldemort himself standing apart from the crowd, smiling.

Someone clapped and the quartet started playing. Rodolphus swung her elegantly into his arms and onto the empty dance floor. She felt every single point of contact, from the grip he had on her hand to the grip he had on her waist. He twirled her out, her dress fanning around her, before pulling her back to his chest. Other couples joined after the first two eight counts. "You look lovely, Trixie," he said in a whisper only she could hear.

A contented smile perched itself on her lips. "You aren't too bad yourself," she said, appreciating the cut of his suit. She hadn't had the time before. It was expensive. She could tell just by glancing over it. They fell into a calm silence as he spun her about the room. Then, she said, "About earlier—"

"I do believe the entire room is staring at you, love," he said in her ear, his breath washing over her skin.

Bella gave him a grateful smile as he pulled back from her. She was about to make a fool of herself and she knew it. Why did she feel the need to explain the situation? She didn't need to justify herself to him. Why did she care? "So," she said, regaining her composure. "When do you leave for Hogsmeade?"

"Two days after you get on the train. You need to keep tabs on Cromwell while we attempt contact. Find out who she is spending her time with, her class schedule. Try to figure out if there is an opportune moment to grab her."

It seemed easy enough. While she would never discount the difficulty of a mission, there were only so many places the girl could hide within the walls of the castle. With the threat posed against her by revealing her identity to Death Eaters, Bella was relatively certain that Dumbledore wouldn't let Cromwell wander far from the castle. "I need to make something clear," she said suddenly, bringing her golden eyes up to look at him. "I've agreed to marry you, but this changes nothing." The words rushed out like vomit.

Ice crept into his blue eyes. "I never expected that it would."

"You're still a rat bastard."

"Naturally." Rodolphus's eyes flicked around the room, bored.

Her resolve crumbled slightly at the lack of interest he portrayed. He was acting. His shoulders were tense; his grip on her waist had hardened. Since when did she know how to read him? When had she paid enough attention to see beyond the careful mask he'd placed in front of everyone?

The music ended and he released her. She curtseyed low as he bowed, then strode off in the direction of the refreshment table. She watched as he walked away, and found herself regretting the words she'd said.

Things _had_ changed.

She just didn't understand how much yet.

Before she could find her way from the dancefloor, a pair of big hands swept her up into the next song. When she gained her footing and looked up at her partner, Bella took in a sharp breath. A pair of red glazed eyes stared down at her. "Hello, Bella," Voldemort said, giving her a snake-like smile. He moved the pair of them along with the quick waltz the quartet was playing.

"My lord," she managed between breaths. "I do hope I have pleased you." She peered up at him through her eyelashes.

Something in that smile of his sent a chill down her back. He leaned in close to her, pressing his lips to her ear. "You have," he whispered, "And I hope for you to please me more before the night is over."

When he pulled back, dread formed in the pit of her stomach. He was looking at her like most men did. Like she was a piece of meat meant to be devoured. Was that all she was to him? She lowered her head into what would pass for a bow, "As my lord wishes."

Was this what he meant when he said she could have a place by his side? That if she slept with him, she would receive an esteemed position? That wasn't what she wanted. She wanted to earn that position, as any man would. She could feel her cheeks redden in embarrassment. Had she just signed her life away in favor of yet another man who would control her?

Bella peered over his shoulder, spying Rodolphus near his father. He was sipping on something, and his other hand was in his pocket, but she could see from the look in his eyes that he was not pleased.

Voldemort leaned in close once more, his breath hot on her neck. "Meet me in my room in a half hour," he whispered, before pressing a kiss against her cheek. He released his grip on her and stepped away, giving her the out she so desperately needed.

Avoiding her fiancé's stare, Bella crossed the room to the bar. She needed a stiff drink. Several, in fact. She glanced over her shoulder, finding her father's watchful eye on her. "Firewhiskey," she said to the bartender, turning her eyes back to Rodolphus, who wasn't looking at her for once. As if feeling her gaze on him, he turned to stare at her. "Make it a double."

When the drink was handed to her, Bella didn't hesitate. She tilted the glass back and swallowed all of it, then placed the glass down again. "Another." The second one went down as easily as the first. She was in the process of lifting her third one when someone cleared their throat from behind her. She lowered the glass, turning to find Yaxley standing before her. "What do you want?" She growled, knocking the drink back.

"I was hoping you would join me for a dance."

Bella turned to face him, wishing that she could take the innocent expression on his face as truth. But she knew better now.

 _Did you think that Corban Yaxley wasn't told to keep you occupied…_

"Oh, I know what this is," she said, forcing the words to come out steady. "You're trying to keep me occupied, right?"

Confusion flitted across his features. "What are you talking about?"

Slamming the glass down on the table, Bella threw her hands up. "Whatever. Let's dance." She stalked past him, knowing that he would follow. As they reached the center of the dance floor, she turned to face him and allowed him to take her hand and waist and lead her in the dance. She glowered over his shoulder the entire time, not understanding why she was so angry with him. She'd been using him, too. It wasn't like what he'd done was any worse.

But then…it was worse. _Much_ worse. Her father had orchestrated that little plot.

"Why are you so angry with me?"

"If you have to ask, then you really are as thick as I thought you to be," Bella murmured. The song changed to a slower pace, forcing the two of them to slow as well.

"Honestly, Bella, I don't know. I thought we were good, after that night in London."

"Honestly, _Corban_ , if I never see your face again after tonight, it'll be too soon." She glared hatefully at him. "There are a lot of people I could see taking orders from my father, but I honestly thought you were the last person in the world that would betray me."

He visibly paled.

"Ah!" Bella said loudly, stumbling and missing a step in the dance. "And the truth comes out. How long were you going to make me believe that you _loved_ me?"

Yaxley glanced across the room, toward where Rodolphus had been standing. "Like you even cared about me?"

"I care about being played like an instrument." She stopped dancing and straightened her back to find her full height. "You're dead to me, Yaxley." She wanted to spit in his face, and she might have had the entirety of pureblood society not been surrounding her. Instead, she sneered at him, then stalked away.

Bella needed a distraction. Something to take her mind off of the command she'd been given by the Dark Lord. She needed something to help her get through it. If Yaxley hadn't turned out to be such an ass, she might have pulled him into a dark room. She paused at the edge of the dancefloor.

Then her eyes found Rodolphus, stuck in conversation with his father and a couple of the other men. Her vision blurred for a moment, then she stalked toward them, an overly pleased smile on her face. "Excuse me," she said, lowering her eyes so she didn't have to look at any of them directly. "I need to steal my fiancé for a moment." She even added a half giggle to the end of it. Let them think she was some school girl mad with love for him.

Right now, she just needed to get him alone. Rodolphus had been toying with her for weeks. Never _quite_ letting her forget that until he could get off, she wouldn't be able to either. Well, now was her chance.

Bella looped her arm in his and tried to keep an even pace as they walked. She knew just the place she could take him to be alone. "Trixie, what—" They were out in the corridor and then she shoved him behind a heavy tapestry that hid a small alcove. She could still hear the sounds of the party; that was how close they were to the ballroom. She didn't give him a chance to speak again. She pressed herself against him, shoving his back into the sloped wall of the alcove.

Then Bella kissed him. His lips were stiff at first, but, like any man, he began to kiss her back. When she felt him try to pull his head back, she deepened the kiss, focusing on the movements her tongue was making. _That_ had always worked to distract guys before. And it seemed it would work this time. Rodolphus's shoulders slackened slightly, and his hands began to roam. _Yes_ , she thought, _keep going._

The familiar desire for him built in her belly. She ran one of her hands through his hair, messing it up. She loved to mess it up. When he looked all prim and proper, he didn't look like himself. At least, not the Rodolphus she actually _liked_. She _liked_ when he looked unkempt and on the verge of madness. And she had every intention of seeing that look in his eyes _many_ times during the course of their marriage.

Bella slid her other hand lower, beneath his fancy suit jacket. She raked her fingernails against his shirt, digging them in deep. A promise of the things she'd do to him. He pulled his lips away, taking in a deep breath of air, before turning them to press against her neck. His hands were moving again, one cupping her arse and the other moving toward the front of her gown. Her eyes slammed open. She couldn't let him get too carried away here.

So she moved her hand down, stroking against his abdomen before going lower, to his belt. He started to pull back; she could practically feel his confusion. So she turned his head back to hers and kissed him once more, before moving both hands to fiddle with his belt. The _clang_ of it as it came loose was the only sound she could hear.

Was she really about to do this?

Bella slipped a hand beneath the waistband of his pants and found what she was looking for. He was, surprisingly, larger than she thought. She gave him a gentle squeeze. Then she felt Rodolphus's hands move; they gripped her upper arms tightly and forced her backward. "What are you doing, Trixie?" He questioned, his voice suspicious.

She didn't have it in herself to tell him. "Just giving you a little taste of what married life is going to be," she whispered, before leaning forward and licking his lip. She lowered herself slowly onto the folds of her dress on the floor. Her hands worked at his zipper, releasing him from the confines of his pants. "There he is," she whispered, glancing up at Rodolphus with a wicked smile, before she licked the length of him.

Rodolphus shuddered. That was enough to get her going. She took him into her mouth and focused on her skills at pleasuring men. She had plenty of enough experience with it, after all. And none of them had complained once. He entwined one of his hands in her curly hair, skewing it, of course, but that didn't matter to her right now.

No. His groans and the way his hips shifted were what she focused on.

Bella could feel the desire flaring to life now in her own body. It would be enough. It would have to be enough.

One thing that surprised Bella about this little interlude later was his self-control. Most men wouldn't have been able to resist taking control of her. Rodolphus let her go at her own pace, even though she was really just going along with the signs his body was giving her. When he finished, she swallowed it all down. Not the most pleasant thing in the world, but, to most men, it was impressive. As she stood back to her full height, Bella wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. Then she kissed him, wishing that they could continue this.

When Bella pulled away, he grabbed her arm. "Where are you going?"

She winked at him. "Not sick of me yet?" she remarked, placing a hand flat against his chest and then kissing him once more. "We have a party to get back to." Bella winked at him before disappearing from the alcove.

Instead of returning to the party however, she paused in the entry hall to fix her dress and hair. Then she made her way up the stairs. To what could very well be the end of her. Not that she had a choice in the matter either way.


	9. Chapter Nine

Dorminack Manor had gone completely silent by the time Bella's bare feet padded down the corridor to her bedroom. Her hair had fallen and was knotted in several places. Her dress was skewed. But she didn't care. She was exhausted. She needed sleep. She needed sleep for three days after tonight. She pushed open the door and tossed her shoes inside, before flicking the light on.

A shocked gasp escaped from between her lips as she spied Rodolphus, sitting on the stool of her vanity. One leg was crossed over the other, and she could see barely contained rage simmering in his blue eyes.

"What are you doing in here?" She asked, closing the door behind herself.

"I thought perhaps I would finish what we started earlier, Trixie. Imagine my surprise when you'd left the party, but you weren't here," Rodolphus said pointedly. "Now, you look good and fucked. Who was the lucky man?"

Bella's cheeks reddened. She clenched her jaw and turned away from him.

"Of course, my first thought was Yaxley, but he was at the party, kissing up to your mother. No doubt hoping for an engagement to one of your sisters," Rodolphus continued lackadaisically. Bella reached for the zipper of her dress and struggled to get it down. The damn thing was too tight. "So, I went through the list of others that had been at the party. They were all there." His voice was moving toward her. "The best I can surmise is that you're sleeping with one of the servants. Why else wouldn't you be here when I came to find you?"

Rodolphus's hands were warm as he gripped onto her shoulder and then pulled the zipper down for her. She didn't even murmur a thank you as she moved toward her closet. "Then, the longer I sat here, the more I worried that perhaps something had gone amiss. After all, I hadn't seen you since that alcove. I thought perhaps you found yourself in a similar situation to the way I found you earlier."

"Is there a point to this?" She snapped from within the closet as she slipped the gown off and found pajamas. She then rifled in the small trunk near the doorway and pulled out a pink potion. It was her last one. She would need to brew more as soon as she got back to Hogwarts. She downed it and tossed the empty vial back into the trunk. She wouldn't need it too much longer. After all, she was expected to bear children as soon as possible after the wedding.

"Not really," Rodolphus said as she moved back into her bedroom.

"Then leave." She climbed into her bed and pulled the covers up to her chest. "I'm tired."

"And if I don't?"

"Then I'm going to turn out the lights and go to sleep, and you'll just have to sit there stewing over who I was with all night," Bella retorted. She didn't have the patience for his bullshit. "Maybe your jealousy will recede a little once I'm unconscious."

Rodolphus scoffed. "Jeal—Jealous? I am _not_ jealous."

Bella lifted an eyebrow as she looked at him.

"To be jealous would mean I had feelings, and a heart. We both know I have neither."

"Precisely. So leave."

Why was she so keen on _not_ telling him the truth? It wasn't like she had something to hide. They _weren't_ married yet, so she was not held to some unbreakable vow. Had this been a few months ago, she would have _bragged_ about sleeping with the Dark Lord. But now… Now all she felt was used. Dirty. Because she'd done something she never thought she would. If she told him now, she didn't know how he would react. She wasn't sure she could handle whatever his response would be.

Rodolphus stared her down from the end of her bed.

"I'm _not_ finishing whatever was started in that alcove," Bella said, hoping that it would be enough to get him to leave. It was a long moment between them: a stare down. He was mulling over something. "I really wish you would say whatever the bloody hell it is you want to say and then leave. I'm tired."

"You know, Trixie, you usually don't do anything without a purpose. So what was your reason here?" He paced the floor at the foot of her bed. She rolled her eyes and shifted in the bed, attempting to get more comfortable, which seemed odd to her. When had she ever been able to be comfortable around him, instead of constantly on her guard? "You danced with me, and then the Dark Lord, then Yaxley—"

"You know, for someone who doesn't care, you sure pay an awful lot of attention to me—"

" _That_ is when you pulled me into that alcove. So, if it wasn't me, and it wasn't Yaxley—" He stopped. Realization crossed his features as he brought his blue eyes up to look at her. His mouth hung open, and she knew that he knew. He couldn't even bring himself to ask her the question.

Bella rolled her eyes, feigning indifference. "Double standards, darling. You get to sleep with whomever you want, and so do I," she rolled onto her side and tucked the covers under her chin. "Lock the door on your way out."

Even as he walked from the room. Even as the door clicked shut in its lock. Even as she heard his footsteps receding down the hallway. Bella didn't think she'd ever forget the look of pain in his eyes.

* * *

Days later, Bella still felt awful. She lacked the normal pep in her step. Hogwarts was her domain, but being back in the castle did nothing to staunch her terrible mood. She didn't feel like she belonged in its ancient corridors any longer. She wanted to be out _there_ , torturing people for information, killing them. Anything to staunch this wound. She'd literally just slept with a man for a position.

What had she become?

As she walked up the stairs from the dungeons that led toward the main entryway of the castle, Bella couldn't help but let her mind wander to the mission. Like she'd thought, Cromwell hadn't been on the train. Lupin had, however. Bella couldn't help herself. She taunted the girl. Spread the news of Lupin's downfall. Seeing the absolute devastation on the girl's features all over again had helped. But it was more like putting a bandage over a severed limb than actually giving her the fix she needed.

The train ride was so uneventful that Bella had eventually found an empty car and fallen asleep. It was only because of Cissy that she even woke up. She hadn't seen Dromeda at all. Her sister was a newly appointed Prefect for Slytherin. It was probably for the best. She hadn't been able to look at Dromeda, much less speak to her after her sister had witnessed the brutal beating.

Just because Rodolphus had healed the exterior wounds, it didn't mean that the trauma didn't remain.

And just because Rodolphus had healed her wounds didn't change anything between them. It wouldn't. It couldn't.

Even if the look in his eyes had haunted her for days.

 _Why do I even care?_ Bella thought to herself as she walked through the open double doors of the Great Hall. _I don't._

Rodolphus would be arriving in Hogsmeade any day now. She assumed he would send her something to notify her of his position, but she couldn't be sure. The only thing she did know was that she wouldn't go looking for him. She would bide her time, stick to the mission as she was ordered. Merlin help her if Voldemort came knocking again.

The roar of voices in the hall almost immediately gave her a headache. She took a sharp turn and headed directly toward the middle of the Slytherin table. People were excitedly talking amongst one another. Every now and then as she passed, someone would toss out a compliment about the party. She didn't acknowledge a single one of them. If she never had to acknowledge that night again, it would be too soon.

As Bella slipped into her seat, she noticed that Cissy was sitting across from Regulus, talking about something stupid, she was sure.

"Oh, I can't wait. I'll have the best dress there for sure," her sister said. "What about you, Bellatrix? What do you think you'll wear?"

"Wear?" Bella questioned as she reached for tea.

"To the Halloween Masquerade?

Lifting an eyebrow at her younger sister, Bella shook her head. "There's going to be a masquerade?" With a roll of her eyes, she served herself some chicken.

Cissy giggled. "Of course. Slughorn announced it in the common room this afternoon at the house meeting."

"Considering I was sleeping, it's not a wonder that I didn't know," Bella murmured into her cup.

"You're in a foul mood for someone who just got engaged," her sister remarked.

"And you're being an annoying nitwit, yet no one is telling _you_." She rolled her eyes and picked up a fork.

"Can I see your ring?" Regulus questioned. He wasn't a big talker, so it surprised her that he'd asked to see it. She offered her hand and he took it, staring intently at the glittering five carat diamond. "Wow."

Bella pulled her hand out of his and went back to her plate. Cissy continued on. "What about you, Regulus? Anyone in particular you'd ask to the ball?"

In response, her cousin shrugged. "I don't think I'll go if I'm honest. There are much better things I could be doing."

"What? Like studying?" Cissy questioned.

It was at that point, Bella tuned them out. Hogwarts hadn't changed one bit over the summer.

But she had.

Everything had changed. No longer did she care about trifling gossip or social events. There were far more important matters to worry about. Like Cromwell. She lifted her golden eyes to glance across the hall, checking the Gryffindor table for any sign of the red-haired girl. As she scanned the table a second time, a pair of grey eyes accompanied by a mop of black hair stopped her short. Sirius was glaring at her. Her first reaction was to roll her eyes, which she did. Her second intention was to go back to her food, but she couldn't. She stared back at him, trying to figure out what he wanted.

Bella looked down at her plate. She was no longer hungry. There was no telling what Sirius was pissed at her for this time. She didn't particularly care to be present in the hall anymore, so she bid her sister and cousin goodbye and shoved to her feet. From the corner of her eye, she saw Sirius do the same. Was he going to follow her? What was his plan here?

Ignoring the figure that was following her down the long tables, Bella instead forced herself to think about where Cromwell could be. She hadn't seen the girl since arriving two days ago. In fact, she hadn't seen Little Lupin either. It was still well before sunset, so she could very well go exploring.

As she took the first step on the grand staircase, a voice cut the air. "Where are you going, Bellatrix?" She stopped cold in her tracks, slowly turning to face her cousin.

"I don't like your tone," she ground out from between her teeth. "I can go anywhere I please."

Sirius approached her, scowling, with anger written in his eyes. "Yes, you certainly do, don't you?" He stepped close to her. "What you and your crooked little fiancé did to Rachel Lupin was despicable."

"And you care because…?" Bella shot at him. "I thought you'd be happy to hear that Rodolphus soiled the girl. Maybe now she'll finally stop trying to get with _you_." It was only for a second, but her words seemed to knock him off kilter. "You knew that she was in love with you, of course, but did you know that she was in love with you still at that ridiculous party you threw in Diagon Alley?"

"You're lying," he said.

"Am I?" Bella questioned, straightening her spine. "Because I looked into her mind. I peeled back the layers of her memory and ripped that night out of it myself." She offered a sardonic smile. "She got what she deserved, whether you acknowledge it or not. I did you a favor. I did everyone a favor." She turned on her heel and started up the staircase again.

"By assisting in the rape a fifteen-year-old girl? Could you imagine if anyone had done that to your sister?"

Bella stopped, a chill running down her spine. " _My_ sister isn't stupid enough to fall for someone's lies. She was raised better." He opened his mouth to speak, but she cut him off. "Then again, so were you, and look how you turned out." She gathered her skirts and continued up the staircase.

"Someday, Bellatrix, someone is going to make you regret your behavior. I hope I'm there to see it."

"And I hope you'll be dead by then," she tossed over her shoulder. Her heart was pounding in her chest. She hated the way he looked at her. She hated everything about the interaction. But Sirius had made up his mind about her. Who was she to make him think any different?

* * *

The letter came on her first day of classes.

 _At the Hog's Head with Nott. Come for dinner._

No signature. Not that it needed one. She needed to get special permission to leave the castle. It was only too easy to sweet talk Slughorn into signing a note for her. She honestly only had to worry about Dumbledore or McGonagall questioning her appearance off campus. The rest of the teachers let her get away with whatever she wanted.

The sun was low in the sky when she finally made her way up the high street. Dread built in her gut as she took a side street that would lead her to the pub. When she spied the rickety sign marking the spot, Bella would have much rather turn around and go back to the castle. Still, she pushed open the creaky door and immediately spotted her betrothed across the small bar room in a corner. He didn't look up at her. In fact, he seemed to be increasingly focused on the glass of amber liquid he was holding.

Bella sat down unceremoniously, crossing her arms over her chest and staring at him. "Well?" She questioned.

When Rodolphus looked up at her, she could see his blue eyes were glazed over. He'd been drinking for some time. "What have you found?" He asked.

"Very little," Bella responded. "I have seen neither Cromwell nor Lupin. I wouldn't have any classes with either of them, but they haven't been seen in the hallways or the Great Hall at mealtimes."

"So you've got nothing."

"For the moment, yes. I am working on it. I've been at Hogwarts two days. So calm down."

"My, my, someone sure is tense," Rodolphus said, leaning heavily on the table.

"And _someone_ has put me in a foul mood. I had to waste my time going to extra lengths for special permission to leave the castle, and yet I find you here, drunk before sundown. So, excuse me if I'm a little tense. I'm the only one taking things seriously around here." Bella motioned toward the bartender for one of what her fiancé was having.

"We have two months to make contact with the girl," Rodolphus said. The bartender came over and clunked down a bottle and glass before her. She poured one for herself. "If we fail, it isn't just my head at stake, Trixie."

"You think I don't realize that?" She took a sip of the drink, allowing the burn to fill her belly before she said, "We have to work together on this. We can't sit here throwing thinly veiled insults. He expects us to be a team."

Rodolphus blinked. "And you know this because…? Was this something you discussed during pillow talk?"

Bella's cheeks reddened. Again. She lowered her gaze to the glass in her hand as she swirled the liquor inside. "So that is what this is about," she stated. "Let me pose a serious question to you." She leaned forward on the table and lowered her voice. "If you were a woman, trying to make it in a man's world, and the man in charge expects something of you, would you deny him?" She didn't wait for his response. "How could I say no to him? He wanted to see the lengths that I would go to, to prove my loyalty." Finally, she brought her eyes to look at him. "Would you have said no?"

Rodolphus reached for the bottle and poured another glass, taking his sweet time with a response. "No. But I wouldn't have sucked my fiancé off before running off to fuck him either."

She resented the shame that he made her feel. How dare he? "I don't have to explain myself to you or anyone else."

"No, but you do have to marry me, Bellatrix, and I can make that union very, very unpleasant should I so choose."

"You already promised me that you would," she shot back at him. She shrugged her shoulders, thoroughly done with the conversation. "So why shouldn't I enjoy making it just as miserable for you? Although, from the sounds you were making in that alcove, I'd say you got a much better end of the deal that night." She drained her glass and poured another. "If you think I wanted to sleep with him, then shame on you. I'm not the type of girl to sleep my way to the top. If I were, I'd have fucked _you_ ages ago." She downed the entire glass. "Is that all? If so, I'd much rather be back in the castle taking a hot bath." She stood as she slammed the glass down on the table. Then she stalked out of the pub and back toward Hogwarts.

If he was going to be childish, she could give it back to him.

* * *

Bella finally spotted Cromwell in the Courtyard on the fifth day of classes. She was accompanied by Lupin and one of the Ravenclaw boys. Charlie…was it? Bella had positioned herself in the walkway, not hiding, but not openly viewing the girl either. Lupin looked miserable, which made Bella smile. _Not all Gryffindors are perfect,_ she thought bitterly. Cromwell, however, seemed rather unbothered by the fact that Death Eaters were after her.

Though she'd tried her best, Bella couldn't follow her past the second floor of the castle, when one of the Slytherin girls in Andromeda's year stopped her to coo over the engagement ring. That damned thing was proving to be more of a nuisance than it was worth. Still, she couldn't bring herself to take it off.

As she was returning to the Slytherin common room, she ran into Yaxley. She tried to pretend he was invisible, but he just wouldn't let it be. "Bella," he said softly, grabbing her by the wrist. She pulled out of his grasp, glaring at him. "I'm sorry. I should have told you. But I didn't lie about—"

"I'm an engaged woman now. This conversation is entirely inappropriate."

"When he asked me to—to—" He cleared his throat and shuffled his feet uncomfortably. "I'd admired you for so long, and I _wanted_ to be with you."

Bella gave a high-pitched laugh. "You did your duty," she said, patting him on the shoulder. "Consider it a job well done. I won't let another man touch me until my husband, the night of our wedding."

"Bells?" Came a familiar voice from down the dungeon corridor.

"If you'll excuse me," Bella said, turning toward Andromeda. She walked briskly to get away from Yaxley. "Is something wrong?"

"You've been avoiding me," Her sister said as the both of them continued down the hall toward the common room.

"I'm not avoiding you, dear sister, I'm simply…busy." She balled her hands into fists, absentmindedly spinning her engagement ring around her finger.

"We haven't spoken. At all. Since that night."

"I don't know what there is to talk about," Bella said before giving the password and entering the common room.

"You know exactly what there is to talk about," Andromeda said, still following after her sister. Bella stopped suddenly, turning so quickly that Dromeda took two steps back with wide eyes.

"I'd already forgotten about it until you said something," Bella snapped. "Do me a favor and forget about it yourself."

"That's twice now—"

"Forget. It." Bella was quickly losing her patience.

"I can't. I can't ever forget what I saw that night."

Bella wheeled on her sister, getting very close to her as she did that night her sister lied to her. "Fine. You want to press the issue. Let's do it." She gritted her teeth, her nostrils flaring. "I do what I do so he won't beat up on _you_. Or Cissy. So that he focuses all of that rage on _me_. Because I realized his violent tendencies at a young age and I exploited it so that he would leave the two of you _alone._ "

Dromeda's face had paled and she was speechless.

"Furthermore, that particular incident was especially gruesome because I stunned him and left him to lie on the floor all night when I went to bring you home," Bella said, her voice dark. "Talking about it won't change what's happened or make it any better. The only peace of mind that I get out of it is knowing that he would never lay a hand on either of my younger sisters because _I_ have made my reputation so bad that the two of you look perfect." She stared at her sister for a long moment. Dromeda opened her mouth and closed it. "Next time you think you know something, _keep it to yourself._ "

Bella didn't allow her sister time for a response. She turned on her heel, found her way to her dormitory, and slammed the door so hard that the tapestries and framed paintings on the walls rattled. The weight that had been building on her chest finally seized her. Her breaths came quickly. She clawed at the high collar of her uniform shirt. She couldn't breathe. She whipped her hands to the hem of her shirt and yanked it over her head as she tried to contain the short intakes of breath. Unwelcome tears, cold and emotionless, sprouted at her eyes. She slid down to the floor, a wall at her back, and tucked her knees to her chest. The room was too hot. She was sweating, even though her skin felt cold.

Images flashed through her mind. Incidents over the years. A punch here. A kick there. Broken bones. Bruised lips. Missing teeth. And worse. Much worse. She couldn't get the images to go away. She didn't think she'd ever get the images to go away.


	10. Chapter Ten

Several days later after absolutely zero leads, Bella studied the Gryffindor table. Sirius sat next to James, their backs to her. Opposite sat Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew. She watched their interactions carefully, noting the way Sirius and James always seemed to be laughing. Remus would scold them from time to time, mention his Prefect badge. And then there was Peter.

Bella lifted her glass to her lips, wishing to Merlin that it was more than just pumpkin juice. An idea was stirring in her head. To get information on a Gryffindor, she needed someone on the inside.

The more she watched, the more she knew that Peter was her best bet. He looked at his friends with hope in his eyes any time they acknowledged his existence. She'd known the boy to follow after the other three, James and Sirius especially, begging for their attention. He was just the type of person that could be persuaded, Bella was certain of it.

All she had to do now was get him alone.

It wasn't hard. In fact, a couple of days later, Bella found him in the library, studying with Remus. She gave a first year a note, forged to say that Rachel was having a meltdown and destroying Gryffindor tower, and that first year delivered it to Remus, who excused himself and exited the library. Bella watched from behind a row of books as Peter stared down at his books and parchment. She waited for a long moment to make sure Remus wouldn't return, and then she moved to the seat next to him.

Bella opened the heavy tome she'd taken from a shelf and opened it, sparing a glance at Peter. "Hi, Peter," she said, flipping to a random page in the book. She saw him look up at her from the corner of her eye.

"Hi…?"

"It's Bella," she said, offering a smile.

Peter glanced around the library, appraising the other empty tables. "I know," he said in a quiet voice.

Bella let an awkward silence follow as she turned back to the book. Then, she asked, "How are your classes going?" She wasn't sure if she saw suspicion or surprise on his face. She was trying to act as though this was a normal conversation.

"McGonagall assigned us to a twelve-inch essay on human transfigurations. Remus was helping me but he had to go," Peter said, taking a piece of parchment into his hands. "You'd think it would be easy because—" He paled visibly.

"I'd be glad to help," Bella offered, turning in her seat to face him. She leaned an elbow on the table.

"I think maybe I'll get James to do it. He's the best at it, anyway," Peter mumbled.

This was going nowhere. The boy seemed to talk to himself, instead of her. "Peter," she said in a low voice. She reached a hand over to place it on his arm. "You know, I've always admired you. It can't be easy having such…popular friends all of the time. I would imagine you'd feel lost in the fray sometimes."

Peter seemed to consider her words. "Sometimes. But they're my friends."

"Are they, though?" She asked, pulling her hand away. "I've seen the way they are with you. They ignore you, and all you want is their attention." She frowned, turning back to her book and closing it. "I know how that feels."

He scoffed. "You?"

Bella feigned offense. "Of course, I do," she said, frowning. "I have two younger sisters that are prettier than me. People like them more and when they get attention, I get ignored. I know what it's like to feel invisible." She lowered her gaze to the book in her hands. "Sometimes I don't think anyone really sees me."

Another uncomfortable silence took over them before Peter asked, "And what would one see…if they did see you?"

Twisting her hands together, Bella frowned. "I don't know. I've spent so much of my life and my time being this person everyone thinks I am." She looked directly at him. "I—I don't think I want to talk about this anymore." She stood from her spot. "I'm sorry for bugging you, Peter."

Then, she turned and exited the library. Once out of the door, she took her time walking, counting down the seconds in her head. "Bella, wait!"

Bella looked over, watching as Peter lugged his half-packed bag. "It's fine," she said with a wave of her hand. "I'm fine." She sniffled purposefully, wiping at invisible tears. "Sometimes, I just really question who I am. You know?"

Peter was nodding, a dumb expression on his face. "Yeah, I do."

Gotcha.

"Listen, could you do something for me?" She looped her arm with his and led him off to one side of the corridor to a spot hidden by a suit of armor.

"There's a Gryffindor girl," Bella said. "I need to speak with her about something incredibly important. I just haven't been able to find her."

"Who?"

"Quinn Cromwell," Bella said. "There's something urgent that she needs to know." She let out a heavy sigh. "The problem is that I can never seem to find her. She disappears a lot. If you could maybe find out her schedule for me? And anything else that might help me to connect with her?"

He seemed wary.

"I would be willing to repay you the favor," she offered. "I have some very powerful friends that could become your friends." She flashed a smile. "Show you that there is a world outside of those boys."

* * *

After almost a week, Bella was starting to worry that Peter had told his friends about their little conversation. She hadn't thought to make him swear secrecy in the moment. And even if she had, it might have made him more suspicious of her intentions. So she merely smiled any time he glanced her way across the Great Hall, or their paths crossed in the corridors.

It was smart to have someone on the inside. She just needed to know if it was going to pay off.

Bella received a note to meet him near the lake on a Saturday afternoon. The weather had started to cool off, and she knew that with the change of the season, her wedding wouldn't be far off. She left the planning to her mother and Lysandra Lestrange. Most young girls, like Narcissa, had every detail of their wedding planned from the time they could understand what weddings were. Not Bella. She'd never wanted to marry. She'd never wanted a family.

Those things only led to heartbreak. She wasn't sure if that was something that she could handle.

Sunbathing against a tree near the banks of the lake, Bella soaked in the last rays of the sun. Classes were incredibly boring. Even if she was supposed to take her N.E.W.T.s at the end of the year, Bella knew it was pointless. Her ambition lay far from this institution. As did her attention. That was why she didn't hear Peter when he approached.

"Bella?"

She picked up her head at the sound of his voice. "There you are," she said, giving a small smile that she hoped came across as genuine.

Peter glanced nervously over his shoulder. "Listen, I can't stay long." He shuffled his feet.

"Well, did you find out anything?" She asked, standing from her spot. She forced the tension out of her shoulders and back and tried her best to lean casually against the tree.

"I did," he said. "I don't know if it means anything. Sirius mentioned…" He glanced over his shoulder again.

"Did someone follow you?" She asked, coming to attention. Her wand was in her hand in a second as she glanced beyond the bushes that shrouded their meeting.

"No. I don't think so."

"Good." She made a play of showing her body relaxing, even though she was fully alert to any sound nearby. "What were you saying?"

"Sirius mentioned that he was worried about her safety. And since boys aren't allowed in the girls' dormitory, he got her set up in the castle in a secret place. He's the only one who knows where. Lily's mentioned that Kate hasn't slept in their dorm in over a week."

 _Sirius._ Of fucking course, it was Sirius.

"Thank you, Peter," she said, offering a gentle smile.

"Maybe I could introduce you to her?" He offered, looking at her with hopeful eyes. "And we could discuss an introduction with your friends?"

 _Sneaky boy,_ Bella thought. A smile curled at the corners of her mouth. He wasn't as dumb as the others painted him out to be. "I think I can make that happen," she said. "Give me a few days. I'll see what I can do." Peter nodded and turned to walk away, but Bella grabbed his arm. "Thank you, truly." She leaned over and pressed a gentle kiss to his cheek. By the time she leaned back, his face was pink. Her job was done. She needed to reconvene with her…fiancé. Great.

* * *

The sun was nearly down behind the village when Bella arrived at the Hog's Head. There'd been nothing but silence from Rodolphus since his arrival, and she wasn't complaining. But she needed to give him this new bit of information and they had to work on a plan of action. She entered the Hog's Head, bypassing the bartender and going directly up the stairs. She wasn't sure what room he was in. It took several tries, and after walking in on two different couples of questionable origins, she found him sitting at the table in his own room, studying documents. He spared a glance at her before looking back at them.

"And what have you been doing for the last two weeks while I've been gaining intelligence?" She questioned, removing her cloak and hanging it from the hook on the back of the door.

Rodolphus's eyebrow quirked up as he looked at her. "Gathering information about Cromwell and her family." He motioned to the table before him. She walked over, seeing a family tree as well as a handwritten timeline of each family member and what was so special about them. "You look rather happy with yourself. I take it you have something?"

Bella avoided his gaze as she perched herself on the edge of the table next to him. Her leg was purposefully brushing his arm. "A start," she remarked, then explained about getting an in with Peter, as well as the information he'd given her tonight. "My cousin is protecting her. She's not sleeping in the dorms. It's only a matter of time before I can figure it out. But I need your help."

That got his attention. Rodolphus picked up his head to look at her. His eyes trailed from her leg next to him slowly to her face. "Of course, you do," he said, flashing a grin.

"I may have mentioned that I have some very powerful friends," Bella said, crossing her arms over her chest. "That boy is more ambitious than my cousin and his friends give him credit for. I'd like to bring him here to meet you. Maybe you can get something more out of him." It was a small concession, for whatever it's worth. Sometimes, men needed men to get to the meat of things. She would give him credit where it was due. He was good at extracting information, whether through torture or other means.

"In exchange?"

"He's easily persuaded," Bella remarked, her eyes catching sight of his rumpled bed. She looked away too quickly, and Rodolphus caught the glance. An easy smile found its way to his lips once more.

"Don't tell me you've slept with the boy?"

Bella rolled her eyes. "And if I had?"

"It may be a good idea to have him in the fold," he said, pushing his chair back a foot or so.

"If you're suggesting I sleep with him to gain his loyalty—"

"I would _never_." Even though his eyes and smile suggested otherwise. His hand found her thigh and rested there. Heat moved from the contact, coursing through to her center.

It had been far too long for Bella, for such a simple contact to send desire racing through her body. She shoved his hand away and pushed off of the table. "I'll bring him here, then. In a few days." She shook her head. "I should have _known_ Sirius would do something so stupid as protect the girl."

"Why is that?" Rodolphus asked, a bored tone, as he turned back to the papers on his table.

"We had a verbal altercation a week or so ago. It was nothing, but he knows. He knows that I'm behind this because Andromeda told him about the boy we tortured."

Rodolphus's back was ramrod straight. "She did _what?_ " She hadn't mentioned it before because she knew that he'd be angry with Andromeda. And with her. And she wasn't in the mood to deal with his attitude. He stood from his seat and walked slowly toward her. "You do realize that this puts us in serious danger, don't you?"

"It's Andromeda. She wouldn't tell anyone."

"But she _did_." He shook his head in disbelief. "Do you know what you've done, Trixie? If _anyone_ of authority found out, the both of us would be in Azkaban before you could blink." Bella felt the dread coil in her stomach. She hadn't thought about that. Honestly, she hadn't thought either of them would betray her. If they'd spoken about it between themselves, was there a chance that they could have told others?

"It was a mistake," she said in a quiet voice, turning her gaze downward. "An oversight. It won't happen again."

"You're right it won't," Rodolphus said, his voice gaining volume. "Because you're going to remove that information from both of their minds."

"What?"

"This is _your_ mess, Trixie. You need to clean it up. Because you won't like it if I do."

The threat hung heavily in the air.

How could she explain to him the relationships that she had with her cousin and sister and how precarious they were? He was right. She would have to remove this knowledge from their minds. She knew the memory charm, but it was a matter of getting them alone and using the spell.

"If you are going to work with me and for the Dark Lord, you can't be sloppy, Trixie. You _have_ to be careful, especially as long as you're a student. It's too easy for the Ministry to capture you if that information falls into the wrong hands," Rodolphus explained.

"I got it, okay?" She rolled her eyes. By the look on his face, he obviously didn't believe her. "I will!" She threw her hands up and moved toward the door. As she reached for her cloak, she said, "I'll bring him in a few days. I'll send word."

Rodolphus was sitting back in his chair. "And _handle your family_."

She didn't need to be told twice.

* * *

The following day, Bella went in search of Andromeda in order to fix her mistake. Cissy hadn't seen her since early that morning. It was Sunday. Where in the world could her sister possibly have gone? She spent the next hour or so wandering the nearly empty corridors of the castle. Andromeda didn't seem to be anywhere.

After double checking the Great Hall and the library, Bellatrix made her way outside. There were several students hanging around. Some studying, others practicing their magic. None of them her sister. She spied a fourth year Slytherin as she approached the long bridge that led down to the grounds. "You," Bella said. "Have you seen Andromeda Black?"

The girl lowered her gaze. "I think she's down by the lake."

Bella stalked off across the bridge and made her way down the green, sloping lawns of the castle. She rarely came out this way. She wasn't exactly the great outdoors type. She passed Hagrid's shack, spying the groundskeeper sitting on the steps of the ramshackle building, playing a flute or something. Whatever it was, it sounded like nails scratching on a chalkboard, or a banshee. She scowled and continued down the path.

"Ted!"

Andromeda's voice stopped Bella in her tracks. But it wasn't her voice so much as it was her giggling. Bella ducked behind a bush, her heart beating loudly in her ears. She couldn't remember the last time she'd heard her sister's laugh. The sound of water splashing filled the air. After a long moment of attempting to calm her heart, Bella peered over the top of the bush. She saw ripples wave from near the shore, but she didn't see her sister.

Hunched over, Bella moved toward her left to get a better view. Her sister came into view. She was standing in the lake, water up to her knees, laughing. Dromeda leaned down and ran her hands in the water, before splashing at someone who was still out of sight.

"That's it!"

Then, a Hufflepuff boy came into view, tackling Andromeda into the water with a big splash. They both went under for a moment, then came up gasping for breath intermixed with laughter. Even from this far away, Bella could see the glimmer in her sister's eyes.

This wasn't good.

If the boy's name was Ted… And he was a Hufflepuff.

The realization made Bella's eyes widen and anger sink deep into her belly. Ted Tonks. He was a Muggle born. And Andromeda was spending time with him. From the looks of it, this wasn't the first time. The longer she watched, the more she could see the easy interactions between them. Her sister was _very_ comfortable with this boy, and that concerned her.

The two of them climbed from the water. Dromeda wrung out her shirt as she and Ted spoke in lower voices. Bella was just out of earshot to understand. She needed to hear them. She needed to get close enough so she could gauge just how far her sister was into this…whatever it was. Dromeda was fifteen. She'd refused to marry Lucius, but that didn't mean that she couldn't be with another pureblood boy. Bella moved closer, still hiding behind a thick bush that she couldn't see through.

"I should probably get back," Andromeda said.

"Do you have to go?" the boy, Ted, questioned.

Reluctantly, her sister said, "Yes. I have to finish my History of Magic essay."

"You could come to the library and I could help you finish." Then she heard them kiss. Her anger only grew. This was serious. Too serious.

"We both know I won't get anything done if I go anywhere with you." Bella could hear the smile in her sister's voice.

"But Dromeda…"

 _Dromeda._

 _Her_ nickname for her sister.

Bella saw red as she stood up, charging toward them with her wand at the ready. Ted had an Andromeda in a rather romantic embrace. His eyes widened as she approached. Her sister, however, grew angry. Very quickly. "I think that's enough," Bella said.

"Back off," her sister replied, pulling from his arms and placing herself in front of Ted.

"Back off?" She let out an incredulous laugh. "Is _this_ why you refused the betrothal that Father set up for you?"

Andromeda hesitated, but didn't look back at Ted. She kept her ground between them. "It's none of your business."

Bella's eyebrows show up on her forehead. "None of my business? Is that so?" She gripped her wand more tightly. "Say goodbye to the stupid little Mudblood, Dromeda."

Her sister's features hardened. "Don't you call him that!"

"It's what he is," Bella said, pointedly, turning her eyes towards Ted, who was staring her down. She saw his attention flash to the pile of clothes they'd shed—jackets and shoes. "Ah, ah! Don't move!" She raised her wand higher.

"Bella, stop!"

She kept her eyes locked on the boy. "You're better than this, Andromeda," she said. "Now, get your things and let's go."

Her younger sister's back straightened; her resolve hardened. This was a different girl in front of her. "No."

"How dare you defy me!" Bella screamed. A little independence was a good thing. But she'd obviously been too easy on Andromeda if her sister felt like she could be so disrespectful. She didn't _want_ to hurt her sister. But maybe that was the only way to get through. " _Tarantallegra!"_

Ted moved fast. He shoved Andromeda out of the way and took the full force of the curse. His legs began to move uncontrollably. He stumbled backward, eventually landing on the ground, his legs still moving erratically.

"BELLATRIX!" Andromeda screamed, looking at her sister with horror in her eyes.

"Just be glad it wasn't the Cruciatus," Bella said, crossing her arms over her chest. "Get your things. We're leaving."

Dromeda stared at her, incredulous, shaking her head. "I'm not going anywhere until you unjinx him." She crossed her arms over her chest.

Bella lifted an eyebrow. "You have no leverage here, Andromeda. Get. Your. Things." She pointed her wand at her own sister. "Unless you'd rather I practice a curse or two on you." She motioned with her wand toward the pile of clothes. " _Accio_ wands." Two wands detangled themselves from the clothes and flew into Bella's waiting hand. Andromeda still stared at her, mouth wide open. Bella lifted both of her eyebrows. "I won't say it again."

The stand off didn't last long. Andromeda turned, huffing, and walked to the pile of clothes while murmuring an apology to the Mudblood. She passed Bellatrix, glaring. "Here you go," Bella said, tossing the wand several feet out of reach. "Stay away from my sister." Then she turned on her heel, quickening to match her sister's pace.

Bella grabbed Andromeda by her dark hair and pulled her behind a thicket of bushes. "How _dare_ you!" She hissed, throwing her sister to the ground. "After all I've done for you. All I've sacrificed. You deliberately disobeyed me in front of a Mudblood."

"Don't call him that!" her sister said. Dromeda's bottom lip quivered and tears rushed to her eyes.

"That's what he is," Bella said, moving close to her sister. She leaned over her, nostrils flaring, eyes shooting fire. "He would make a blood traitor out of you." Bella's voice was low, threatening. "Do you want to be a blood traitor, Andromeda?"

Blue eyes stared up at her fearfully. After a long moment, she finally spoke. "You said you'd never hurt me."

"That was _before_ I realized just how lenient I've been with you," Bella said. "I have allowed you to become disobedient. I knew I was too soft on you and Cissy." She lifted her wand, pointing it at her sister's face.

"Please don't," Andromeda whimpered. "Don't hurt me." She cowered, facing the ground.

Some of the tension slackened in her shoulders. She didn't loosen her grip on her wand, however. This was the perfect opportunity to fix her mistake. Bella thought of the conversation where she'd confirmed that she and Rodolphus tortured that boy. " _Oblivate."_ She whispered. Andromeda seemed to relax, before she looked around the spot they were in.

"What did you say?" Dromeda asked.

"Stay away from that boy. I won't tell you again."

Her sister's shoulders fell. "Bells—"

"Do you remember what I told you the night I came back from London when I'd gone to spend time with Rodolphus?"

Andromeda blinked lazily a couple of times. "You never came back from London."

"You know what? You're right," Bella said in a low voice. She handed her sister's wand over. "Back to the castle. You have schoolwork to finish."

* * *

"Bellatrix Black?"

Professor Slughorn calling her name snapped Bella out of the day dream she was having. While she'd been imagining torturing some unnamed person, potions class had continued on without her attention.

"What?" She asked, annoyed. Several students in the class snickered, including a Ravenclaw boy behind her. She sneered over her shoulder at him.

"What is the final step to brew the Elixir to Induce Euphoria?"

While Bella normally paid attention in Slughorn's class, if only to maintain his good favor, today she honestly couldn't care less. "Stir it?" She suggested, eyebrows lifted.

"Yes, yes, but before that."

Bella rolled her eyes. The Ravenclaw boy from behind her said, "Add Wormwood. It neutralizes the potion."

"Ah, very good—"

Then she tuned them out again. It was an absolute waste of her time to attend classes. She had yet to see Sirius or Cromwell and it was driving her mad. How could they be so good at evading her? She needed to find Sirius to wipe what Andromeda told her from his mind.

Bella found Peter waiting outside of her class as soon as it dismissed. He was leaned casually against the wall, hands shoved in his pockets. "Bella," he said, pushing off of the wall the moment he saw her. She glanced over her shoulder, watching as the rest of her classmates headed down the hall. She slowed her pace, but didn't look at him as they walked in the opposite direction of the others. "I just wanted to check in."

"Of course," she said, faking a smile. "I've already arranged a meeting for you. This Saturday in Hogsmeade. Meet me at the Hog's Head at five."

The boy nodded. Then he lingered. Why. Did. They. Always. Linger?

"Is there something else?" She asked.

Peter studied her quietly. "You know, you really are the most beautiful girl in all of Hogwarts." Flattery. Oh yes. He was just the kind of person that could fit in with the Death Eaters. Too bad for him, flattery didn't work on her.

"I know," she said, shrugging nonchalantly as she continued walking.

"Do you think—?"

The suggestive tone of his voice sent her frustration soaring. "No," she said, stopping short to face him. His eyes widened. "I'm engaged." Why did men just assume she wanted to sleep with them? Or pursue something more than what she was actively pursuing? "And I'll cut out your tongue if you ever suggest such a thing again."

Without warning, Bella stormed off, back in the direction she'd come. Men. Always thinking that they could use a woman. She hurried through the corridor, taking the stairs quickly to put as much space between her and the latest man who wanted to get under her skirt.

A flash of Voldemort's red tinted eyes filled her mind, and then a wave of nausea rolled through her stomach. She stopped, suddenly finding herself on the second floor. Bella didn't even think, she just darted into the bathroom and found a stall to clear the contents of her belly. A cold sweat broke out across her skin as she pushed back from the toilet and leaned against the wall of the bathroom stall. She closed her eyes, willing her mind to forget that night with the man.

To forget the way his cold hands felt on her skin. To forget the coarseness of his fingers. To forget the cold way he took her that night. He _knew_ she didn't want it, and he did it anyway.

And all she could do was take it.

Bella's stomach somersaulted and she flew forward, retching into the toilet once more. She'd promised herself that she wouldn't take things lying down. That she would fight. For herself. For her family. For her position in the world.

But she'd taken it. Like the good girl she was supposed to be.

How could a man more than twice her age think it was okay to sleep with a seventeen-year-old? It was simple. He knew it was wrong. He wanted to exert his power over her. He had. And she'd let him. Bella swore beneath her breath, angry at herself all over again at the way she felt that night. Like the scared little girl she'd been years ago at her father's hand.

But, Bella realized, she'd never really grown up from being that little girl. She'd just gotten better at hiding her.

"Are you alright?" A voice cut through the near silent bathroom.

Bella straightened in the stall, but didn't respond. She heard soft footsteps approaching her stall.

"Hello?" The voice repeated. It was a girl. Not one that Bella knew, either.

"I'm fine," she croaked, tasting bile in the back of her throat. It made her want to gag again.

The girl's feet shuffled outside of the stall. "Are you sure? You don't sound fine. I can go get Madam Pomfrey?"

"No," Bella snapped. "I'll be fine."

"O-okay."

The Slytherin waited to hear the girl leave. When she didn't, she mumbled a curse beneath her breath and gathered her things. She flushed the toilet and exited the stall.

Quinn Cromwell was standing there, staring at her curiously.

Bella pushed past her and went to the sink. She ran cool water over her face and swished some in her mouth. "You can go," she said, annoyed. Much as she would like to interrogate the girl, she was in no position to think straight.

"Are you sure I can't get anyone for you?"

When Bella looked up in the mirror, she saw kindness in the girl's eyes. Why? "Don't you know who I am?" She asked.

"No. Am I supposed to?" Quinn questioned. Up close, her red hair seemed even brighter than Bella remembered from the few times she'd seen her before. The girl's blue eyes were starker than she could have imagined. A deeper blue, different from the ice-cold blue of Bella's fiancé.

"No," Bella said.

 _This_ was the girl that the Dark Lord was so interested in? She was lanky and shifted her feet awkwardly. Either the girl wasn't aware of the power inside of her, or she was oblivious to the threats against her. Quinn brushed some of her red hair behind her ear. Her eyes shifted the longer that Bella stared at her.

"But you will. Soon." With that, Bella left the bathroom, her heart pounding in her chest.


	11. Chapter Eleven

Bella hadn't slept in almost three days. Her nights were full of tossing and turning and overthinking the mission. Cromwell, a girl who didn't even know Bella existed, was constantly on her mind since their chance meeting in that bathroom. She should have taken her there. Stunned her. Did something and gotten her back to Rodolphus. Instead, she'd panicked. Why had she panicked?

None of it made any sense.

But that was in the past, much as her anxiety riddled mind tried to remind her. "Come along, Peter," Bella said as she made her way toward the stairs at the Hog's Head. The boy had shown up promptly on time, which she couldn't say was a good or a bad thing. Peter wasn't Cromwell, by any means, but at least he was a step closer to their goal.

She'd never tell Rodolphus she had Cromwell right there. She didn't think she could live with the shame.

Stopping in front of the door to his room, Bella turned sharply toward Peter. "Don't say anything unless he asks you a question. Watch your tongue. The slightest thing could offend. Even the slightest joke could end with you hanging by your neck before dawn." Dramatics. All to set the mood. Make him think this was as dangerous as meeting with Lord Voldemort himself.

To Peter, that should be what Rodolphus was.

"Don't worry. You can count on me." Peter leaned over a pressed a kiss to her cheek. It took everything in her not to scowl and wipe it away. She knocked lightly three times.

When Rodolphus answered the door, he was dressed to the nines. Fresh suit, slicked back hair, shiny shoes, the works. "Come in. Now." The pair entered the room. Bella was honestly more curious about Peter's reaction to the man. It was clear that Rodolphus was powerful. But in that suit, he looked decidedly delicious…and murderous. The very thought sent goosebumps across her flesh.

"This is Peter Pettigrew," Bella said, offering the introduction. "He is ready and willing to serve." And just because she couldn't help herself, she moved close to her fiancé, placing a hand against his taught stomach and leaning to whisper in his ear, "One of Sirius's best mates. Easily persuaded." A smile curled at the edge of her mouth as she looked back toward Peter. Leaning against her fiancé, who took the hint and wrapped an arm around her, Bella said. "Peter, this is my fiancé, Rodolphus Lestrange." She made a point of flashing the engagement ring on her finger. Maybe he'd get the hint that she wasn't interested in him if she positioned herself as Rodolphus's property.

The very thought made her stomach curl.

Peter gave a terse nod, not speaking as Bella had instructed. Fear was in his eyes as he looked in their direction. Good.

"Peter?" Rodolphus questioned, turning on his charm. "Good strong name." He took a seat at the table and motioned for Peter to do the same. After a nod from Bella, Peter did. "So, I hear you're mates with Sirius Black. Shame that he turned away from the path. He could have been great." Her fiancé let out a dramatic breath. "But, you're here, and you have the same potential. I can see it." He lit a cigarette. Then, through a breath of smoke, "Don't mind if I smoke do you?" The tone of his voice made it seem like they were old friends.

He was good at this. While he'd never used the charm on her, she could see why others so easily followed him. Women and men alike.

"Um, sure, I guess," Peter said. His voice quaked ever so slightly. "Wait. Potential? Really...?" He seemed to revert back into his head for a moment, unsure exactly what to say to the false compliment.

Rodolphus let out a haughty laugh. "Of course. There's more potential if you than I ever saw in Sirius. If you work hard and know where your loyalties lie, you could be higher up one day than even me." He exhaled a cloud of smoke, sparing the smallest of glances at Bella, who was standing close by in case of any trouble. Someone would have to block the door if Peter got spooked. "Just think of the possibilities. Women. Money. Mansions. Power. Glory. They're right there. You just have to be man enough to go after them."

Somewhere during the speech, Peter's eyes had gone glassy. "People will be waiting in line to get your approval. Pureblood mothers will be begging you to marry their daughters. The Dark Lord is a kind lord. He doesn't let his talented followers go unrewarded." Rodolphus placed a hand on Peter's shoulder, snapping the boy out of his daydream. "How do you think I get to marry Bellatrix over there? It's a charmed life. Look at her, isn't she beautiful?"

Bella took the opportunity to give a smile, genuine. She stared at her fiancé, wondering where he'd learned to be so persuasive. "You could have girls just like her. As many as you want." He was speaking in a voice so low that Bella almost couldn't hear him. "You make the right friends, and you'll go far in life." He extended a hand to the boy, who stared at it dumbly.

"And how do I meet these friends?" Peter asked, taking the man's hand and giving it a shake.

She stole a glance at her fiancé, finding that the smile was fading off of his face. "Unfortunately, the ministry is finding that because of our personal beliefs and because we're becoming more powerful and influential than them, there's a need for discretion. Secrecy. They're afraid they're losing all of their power to us." Rodolphus motioned toward her. "You'll need to prove your loyalty to us. Bella and I, before we can get you a meeting with the right people." He shook his head and cursed beneath his breath, giving her half a glance. Her queue.

Taking the glass decanter and two glass cups, Bella moved toward the table. "If only it weren't for Cromwell. The Dark Lord needs to talk to her badly, but the ministry has her in its grip. If only I knew where she stayed. I know she hasn't been in the Gryffindor tower." Bella set the freshly poured drinks on the table. "Bella mentioned that Sirius is hiding her for them. Which is a problem. I have a message from Lord Voldemort himself, to be delivered personally. If only I knew where she was…"

"I could get a message to her, no problem," Peter offered.

"Ah, if only it were that simple," Rodolphus said, then downed the contents of his glass. "I know you're more than capable. But the Dark Lord assigned me personally to deliver it to her. You see, Cromwell is from an elite group of American purebloods. Her lineage promises certain loyalties to the pureblood society here. Only the Dark Lord doesn't want to frighten her. He sent me and Bella to speak with her about it. We don't want to fail and upset him."

How the hell did he lie so easily?

"But…if you could get Sirius to tell us where she stays, I could probably get there to talk to her. It's sort of a one on one thing." He motioned with his glass. Bella poured another for him. "If you could do that, I'm sure the Dark Lord would give you his favor and you'd start off with more power than most of my men." He took a sip of the liquor. "Only, you can't let on to Sirius. He's with the ministry after all."

With barely a moment's hesitation, Peter said, "I'm in." His face was full of excitement and wonder. "I'm sure that I could get Sirius out of the castle to speak to you. It wouldn't be hard at all to get him to the Shrieking Shack."

Bella took that opportunity to make herself known once more and draped herself across Rodolphus's lap. A small part of her got the slightest rush as she felt his nether regions flex against her. Languidly, he wrapped an arm around her waist. "You'd do that for me? Thanks mate." He turned to Bella, pressing a kiss against her neck.

Peter lifted his glass of firewhiskey, swirling it around as he studied the two of them with narrowed eyes. The boy downed the drink in two gulps. "You know what? You guys are alright."

Gotcha.

Rodolphus smirked at her, one of his hands trailing up her thigh. Her skin flushed as she looked toward Peter. "Send word as to when."

The boy nodded.

"Thank you, Peter," Bella said, flashing her brightest smile. "You should probably head back to Hogwarts before anyone misses you."

Peter pushed his chair back from the table. "Aren't you coming with?"

Bella shook her head. "Better if we go separately. Don't want to cause any suspicion."

Rodolphus gave him an encouraging smile. "We'll speak again soon, mate. Promise." Her fiancé winked at the boy before Peter finally got up and walked from the room. When the door slammed, Bella let her shoulders relax and closed her eyes for a moment. Exhaustion weighed heavily in her limbs. She could honestly fall asleep right there, in Rodolphus's lap, if it wasn't for his hand—

Shoving off of the chair, Bella glared at him. He'd been tugging her skirt up; his hand was tracing the bare flesh of her calf before she realized what he was doing.

"You're so tense, Trixie," Rodolphus said, turning to the papers stacked neatly on the table. "Not that I care…but is something wrong?"

"No," she snapped. Then, realizing how harsh the word had sounded, she continued, "I haven't been sleeping much." She crossed her arms over her chest, then decided better of it and reached for his cigarette pack, taking one before he could think to stop her. He glanced over at her and gave a half-hearted shrug. Like it wasn't worth the fight.

As Bella inhaled the smoke, she felt a calmness go through her, even though her heart was still pounding like mad in her ears. "What's all of this? The same things you were looking at last time?" She took the seat vacated by Peter and pulled one of the pieces of parchment. It was the same family tree she'd seen before.

"Yes," Rodolphus said, rifling through the pages. "This goes with that."

Bella took the offered parchment that outlined Cromwell's relatives going back… She unrolled the scroll and it seemed to go all of the way across the room. "How far back does her lineage go?" She questioned, glancing at the names of her parents. _Timothy Cromwell and Victoria Cromwell._ Bella made a point of tucking that information away. "Wait…this says Timothy is just the most recent victim of his own mind." She narrowed her eyes, reading over the tidy scrawl. "Madness?"

"Nearly every member going back five centuries in Cromwell's family had some sort of special gift. It wasn't well known, of course. Which is why we would have had no idea to recruit her. That along with her growing up in America, it really isn't surprising that she was off of our radar. No one knew such a pureblood lineage remained," Rodolphus explained. He handed over a photograph of a beautiful woman with auburn hair, holding a red-haired baby. "Victoria Cromwell was also special. A seer. It's in her blood. Quinn. Whatever she used to discover my men, it's something she inherited. We need to find out exactly what that is and determine if it would benefit us."

"And her father's madness?"

"Whatever gift he had drove him to it. I have a sworn report from a neighbor in America that said he was terrible to his daughter, which is why she moved to England, to live with her maternal grandmother."

Bella flattened the family tree and then flicked her wand to reroll the scroll from across the room. "We'll get our hands on Sirius. Torture her location out of him," she said, her voice devoid of emotion. "Then we'll make a plan for contact with her directly."

"That was my plan exactly. All the better if we get to torture that blood traitor cousin of yours." A grin curled at his lips. His devilish features made him look particularly delicious tonight. She wanted nothing more than to run her hands through his smoothed down hair. Instead, she stumped out her cigarette in the ashtray.

"I should be going, then," Bella said at the exact moment the door of Rodolphus's room burst open. The both of them were on their feet, wands at the ready. The moment settled and Bella saw Nott standing there. And he wasn't alone.

The Death Eater had a petite figure by the back of their dark robes. Their hood was up.

"I found her listening at the door," Nott reported to Rodolphus, who used his own wand to flick the hood back.

A pair of clear blue eyes stared at her. "Dromeda?" She questioned, a mixture of shock and annoyance in her voice.

"Good work, Nott. Leave her and close the door behind you."

Nott threw Andromeda to the floor and tossed her wand to Rodolphus, who caught it deftly. The moment the door was closed, a surge of power moved through the room. Bella had only ever felt that spell once in her life. It sent chills down her spine. Rodolphus had just sound proofed the room. No one outside of the door could hear anything inside, and the three of them couldn't hear anything outside. Her heart began to pound in her chest.

"Get. Up." Rodolphus order, wand pointed squarely at her sister's chest.

Why had Andromeda been listening? How had she even known that Bella was here?

Bella could see barely contained rage in her fiancé's eyes. The grip he held on his wand tightened as her sister looked up at him, defiance in her eyes. "Do it, Andromeda," Bella said, annoyed that her sister was here. More than annoyed. It seemed her younger sister was determined to defy her at every opportunity.

The younger Black sister climbed to her feet. As she straightened, Bella couldn't help but realize how tall her sister had gotten. How much older she seemed. "I'm up," she said. Her tone was strong, but the way her bottom lip quivered showed that she was scared.

"So defiant for someone in such a…precarious position, aren't you?" Rodolphus said, glancing toward Bella. "But, then again, I wouldn't expect you to be any different." He shuffled his feet, pacing a couple of steps to one side. "Do you think eavesdropping isn't punishable? Would you rather I tell my superior…or your father for that matter?" Dromeda's eyes flashed to Bella, who glared back at her sister. "They might not be as…lenient as I am."

Bella was in between a rock and a hard place. While she recognized that glint in her fiancé's eyes, reveled in it even, she didn't want to hurt her sister. She'd promised Dromeda that she wouldn't. But the longer she stared at Andromeda, the more she realized: her sister would never learn.

"Why were you spying on us?" Rodolphus said, taking one step toward the girl. Andromeda jutted out her chin in defiance. " _Crucio!"_ Red sparks streamed from his wand to her sister's chest. The younger Black daughter fell to her knees. Before a scream could come from between her lips, the spell ended. "I've been told this curse feels quite unpleasant. What do you think?" He turned his attention to Bella then, that gleam in his eyes. "Why were you spying?"

Andromeda's breaths came out heavy. "I saw _her_ leave the castle. I wanted to know where she was going."

"And seeing me here didn't sate your curiosity?" Bella questioned, taking a step forward. "You're lying. You didn't want to _see where I was going_."

Rodolphus watched their interaction carefully, keeping his thoughts to himself.

"You're right. I wanted to know what you were up to," Andromeda spit at her. "You've been doing nefarious things for months, Bells. I had to know what you were doing now."

Bella glanced toward Rodolphus. "I took care of it," she mentioned off handedly.

"I know you did something to my mind that day by the lake," Dromeda said. "In some twisted way, you actually think you're protecting me from danger. When _you_ and your _wretched_ fiancé are the danger."

Something snapped into place. For so long, Bella had been trying to get her sister to fall in line. She'd tried to show Andromeda the light. But her sister refused to acknowledge it. Refused to acknowledge all that Bella had done on her behalf. She'd been too afraid to lose her to accept that Andromeda was already lost. Defying their family was only one piece of the puzzle. Ted Tonks was another. Her relationship with Sirius. It all made sense.

Andromeda was a blood traitor.

And blood traitors deserved what came to them.

Bella's left hand curled into a fist, but her right hand moved her wand, and she yelled, " _Crucio!"_ Red light shot from the tip of her wand and crashed into her sister, knocking her backwards. Andromeda screamed. It was a beautiful scream. Like the night they'd made the boy scream in the park. Her sister's screams sent her heart soaring. This was where Bella was meant to be. _This_ was what Bella was meant to be doing.

Andromeda had betrayed her, and she would feel Bella's wrath.

"That's enough," Rodolphus said in her ear. She blinked and was back in the moment. Her sister's screams filled the room. Bella released her hold on the spell, but not on the anger simmering in her heart. She heaved out a breath, feeling the brush of her fiancé's hand on her lower back.

The younger Black sister was on all fours, gasping for breath.

He moved toward her, using one finger to tip her chin up to look at him. "It's okay. We can stay here as long as it takes until you break." He smirked, glancing at Bella. "I thought we'd go easy on you, but it seems your sister here doesn't agree on that front."

"Fuck off," Andromeda rasped.

"I'm going to ask again. _Why_ were you eavesdropping?"

Her sister refused to answer.

"Very well then." He fixed Bella with a stare. "Together, Trixie?"

The blood hummed in her veins and her wand sparked in her hand. If her sister refused to cooperate, even under the threat of more torture, then so be it. She gave a hard nod and moved her wand into position.

Rodolphus counted to three, then he let loose another Cruciatus Curse. Bella watched as Andromeda flopped onto her back, writhing into an unnatural position. She turned her attention back to him, to the way that he pushed his entire being into the spell. His muscles were taut, shoulders braced, and arm shaking from the effort.

But it was his eyes that captured her. That unhinged madness mirrored the way she truly felt on the inside. It set her blood racing, and a burning in her belly like that first night they tortured together. Through her sister's screams, Bella felt herself coming alive again in a way she hadn't felt in weeks. Hogwarts had dulled her spirit. She would not let that happen again.

The red light faded. "I…just…wanted to know…what you…were…planning." The words came from between Andromeda's lips weakly.

"Why?" Bella demanded. "Who sent you?"

"No one!"

"You're _lying_ ," Rodolphus said, spit flying from his mouth. That crazed look in his eyes set Bella's heart off again.

If this was how their married life would be…torturing together, enjoying the finer things in life, Bella knew she wouldn't mind it so much.

"Bells," Andromeda said, her tone much changed from the defiant girl that had entered the room. "Bells, I've been worried about you. You won't talk to me about what happened with father—"

Red light filled the room again. Though Bella didn't say a word, the silent spell cast from the tip of her wand and into her sister's body once more, forcing her across the floor. She remembered her training that night. Focus on boiling the blood in your victim's veins, on each bone cracking into millions of tiny pieces, and their brains splattering against the walls. All of it filled her mind.

Bella loved her sisters. She loved Andromeda, especially, but her sister had proven one thing to her over these last few months: love made you weak. You had to destroy that which made you weak.

When she released the spell, Bella lowered her wand slowly and crossed the room toward her sister. "You brought this on yourself. You know better than to mess with Death Eaters. You doubted _his_ power just as much as you doubted _mine._ "

A hand went to her shoulder. Rodolphus turned her to face him. "We must stop. Or we'll kill her. I'm getting much too excited to stop myself." And he was. Sweat had broken out across his skin. His eyes were alive with that torturous joy she felt in her heart. "If we kill her, pureblood law will demand retribution until she's disowned by your family. Do you understand?" The words were rushed, and, at the same time, enticing to her.

"Get out, Andromeda," Bella said, staring heavily into Rodolphus's eyes.

"You're sick. You're both sick," her sister said as she tried to get to her feet.

Fire flashed in his eyes as he raised his wand. " _Avada_ —"

Before he could finish the spell, Bella threw her arms around his neck and pressed her body into his. Then she kissed him. It was hot and wet and sent fire raging through her body. She'd never kissed him like this before. Because she'd never felt like this before. She didn't want him to face the wrath of pureblood law. Not on behalf of her wretched blood traitor of a sister.

Rodolphus didn't hesitate. His arms wrapped around her waist, holding her tight against his chest. Adrenaline coursed through her as he shoved her back against the nearest wall.

The door closed, but neither of them paid attention to the fact that they were alone in the room. They were too wrapped up in one another, in this moment, in what they were feeling. Nothing else, not even the mission, mattered in that moment. Rodolphus's skilled hands slipped down her hips and grabbed roughly at the fabric of her skirt. There was something in his kiss, something more than pure pleasure. It was almost a desperate need for her. She'd seen this before. She'd felt this before for him.

Bella ran her hands through his hair, finally able to mess up the façade he'd put in place earlier. He pulled back, staring at her, that crazed look in his eyes. His signature rat bastard grin crossed his features before he pressed his lips to hers once more.

This felt…different. He wasn't afraid of her. Most of the boys she'd let this close were scared to take liberties with her body. Even Lord Voldemort hadn't taken care to tend to her body. This…this was so far from the norm for her. She wrapped her arms around his neck tightly, needing to feel her body against his more than she'd ever needed anything before.

Rodolphus's hands move beneath her bottom and lifted her up. She wrapped her legs around his waist, feeling the hardness of him press against the heat between her legs. He moved the both of them to the bed, roughly laying her on the soft mattress. He pulled his lips from hers, but didn't stop. He nibbled along her jawline, down her neck. His hands moved ahead of his lips, pulling at her school uniform. The buttons of her shirt pinged across the room. He kissed between her breasts and lower, down to her navel.

When he bit her hip bone, Bella's entire body shuddered. That was going to leave a mark, but, honestly, she didn't care.

This was the point of no return for her.

And Bella had no intention of letting him stop.

Rodolphus shoved her skirt up, letting it bunch around her waist as he pressed a kiss to her inner thigh. She bit her bottom lip at the contact, not understanding how such a simple thing could set her skin on fire. A moment later, cool air brushed against her soft spot and she knew that her underwear were gone.

The cool air lasted barely a moment before it was replaced by the heat of his mouth. His tongue flicked expertly, and soon enough, she was bucking against him on the floor, unable to suppress the moan from between her lips.

In two short movement, Rodolphus was laying over her, his hardness pressing against the wet folds of her soft spot. She grabbed him roughly by the neck and brought his face down to hers, kissing him in encouragement. _Take me_ , it said. _Take me and make me scream._ She bit his bottom lip and felt him flex against her. _Do it. Just fucking do it._

Then he did.

Two strokes and he was in, filling her in ways she didn't think anyone would ever be able to. He didn't give her a chance to adjust either, and she liked it that way. Rough. Unapologetic. He pulled back and moved forward once more, working his pace up. She slipped her arms around his abdomen and dug her nails into his back, hard. She'd wanted to do that for some time now.

Rodolphus moved his lips to the soft spot beneath her ear, sucking and biting as his lower half did the most delicious things to her.

The others she'd been with, they'd been boys. They fumbled and apologized. Rodolphus did neither. He was sure of himself, and he took her in a way she didn't think anyone ever would. She knew she was an imposing figure, and it would take someone equally as imposing to match her.

Bella matched his fervor, feeling that familiar tug in the bottom of her belly. She wouldn't last much longer. Even if she wanted to, she didn't think her traitorous body would allow her to savor this longer than it already had. He lifted his head and flashed a grin at her, before sliding one of his hands down the side of her body and between them. His fingers went to work as he pumped his hips against her.

Bella's hands slapped against his arms. She dug her nails into his skin as the wave of immense pleasure took over her. Her back arched off of the hard floor. Rodolphus let out sharp breaths as he increased his pace. A matter of moments later, he tensed and groaned, their bodies still inexplicably entwined. When his shoulders relaxed, Rodolphus grinned down at her, then pressed a hard kiss to her lips.

He disentangled from her and fixed his clothing. Bella noticed for the first time that he hadn't even taken his pants off. She chuckled in her mind, but didn't think she could find the words to express the absolute peace she felt. For the first time in months, there wasn't a single worry in her mind.

Bella watched as he stood and crossed to the table, grabbing a cigarette. Her eyelids felt heavy, and the bed was warm and inviting. She curled up against his pillow and pulled his blankets up to her chest. "Enjoy yourself, Trixie?" He asked. She could hear the grin in his voice, but she was too tired to respond.

For the first time in three days, Bellatrix slept an entire night without a single nightmare.


	12. Chapter Twelve

[Terribly sorry for my absence! I participated in Nanowrimo in November and the holidays have been crazy. Here's a Christmas gift for all of you. :)]

Bella drifted slowly into wakefulness. She was blissfully aware of how warm the bed was. Her entire body was the good kind of sore. The best, in fact, she had ever felt. Her muscles ached in the most delicious way. She knew she wanted to do that again. She arched her back slightly, stopping short as she realized there was a warm body in the bed beside her. Her eyes snapped open.

Disoriented, she blinked slowly as the room came into view. There was a table across the room, littered with parchment and two empty glasses. A half full decanter of firewhisky. There. On the coat rack. A fancy black suit jacket. Last night ran through her mind again. While she wanted to feel disgust or horror, all she felt was gratitude.

Odd.

Bella shifted her hips a half inch so she could glance behind her. That was when she realized one of Rodolphus's hands had been resting on her leg as he slept soundly.

When she looked over him, she taken aback by how…innocent he looked. The hard lines that were usually across his face were gone now, showing his age for what it truly was. Rodolphus was still very much a young man. His hair had dried since last night, and the edges were softly curling. For a moment, an image of the teenager he'd been flashed through her mind. The night they officially met. He'd been dressed impeccably, even though the suit made him look like he was pretending at being an adult.

At eleven, Bella wanted nothing to do with him. He was much older. It seemed…weird. Marry him? Druella dragged Rodolphus over to her daughter, demanding that they dance.

Bella refused. When he tried to take her waist, she spit in his face.

Back then, he had that innocent look on his face. Much like he did in sleep. It sent her stomach aflutter. Not that she wanted that innocent boy. No, Bella very much so liked the genius of a man he had become, but it reminded her that he hadn't always been terrible to her. That night had changed everything.

Forcing her thoughts from going dark, Bella shifted to her other side and reached a hand up to the soft curls at the nape of his neck. He seemed so peaceful. Even though she knew the brilliant mind beneath the surface; the one that caused him to constantly think over every move. She wasn't an idiot. She could acknowledge when someone was smart, and her fiancé was one of the most intelligent. His cunning mind and lack of a conscience made him attractive. It was his mouth that often turned her into a conniving bitch. Not wanting to be shown up. Pride. Call it what you want.

All Bella knew was that her fiancé was the first man to satisfy her completely.

Rodolphus stirred, shifting onto his back. She yanked her hand back quickly, unsure if she should pretend to be asleep or go for a round two. She watched him, eyes moving beneath their lids, as he began to wake. A smirk perched on her lips as she propped herself against the extra pillows that hadn't been there the night before.

When his blue eyes blinked open, he fixed them on her. A half smile formed on his lips before it faded. He blinked again hard, signaling that he was fully awake.

Bella didn't do mornings after. She didn't do the awkward linger. So, she didn't know what to say or do. "You snore," she blurted.

Rodolphus's eyebrows lifted. "I think not," he said, giving her a once over. "You look rested. Good." All business. Like last night never happened. Perhaps Bella should just be happy to have experienced it and let it go. Don't get her feelings hurt. Especially because she knew that he wasn't one to be attached to anyone. And he didn't do repeat performances. Though he would have to with her. "We have to—" Bella covered his mouth with her hand.

"The moment you open your mouth, you always ruin my good mood," Bella said, a hint of laughter in her voice. His brow furrowed at her. She smirked as she removed her hand, sliding down between the sheets to stretch out the gloriousness of her stiff back. Before she could finish her stretch, Rodolphus had maneuvered himself on top of her between the sheets. The only thing separating them were his boxers, and they did nothing to hide his morning hard on.

Bella quirked an eyebrow at him as he stared back at her. He gripped her wrists, keeping her arms extended above her head. "Someone's ready for round two," she commented, leaning up to kiss him. He shifted his weight, pinning her fully beneath him.

"We have business to tend to, Trixie," he said. She could tell it was difficult for him. He wanted to be all business, but his eyes wandered down her naked form. His not so miniature appendage twitched against her leg. She smirked. Knowing that she could have this affect on such a man made her feel powerful.

"And?" She didn't struggle against the grip he had on her. In fact, it felt more relaxing this way. The weight of a man almost always had for her. Desire flared in her belly. "It seems to me that you have a dilemma. You can take me, right here, or you can go tend to whatever business you have." She pouted out her bottom lip.

Temptation was in his eyes as he brought his eyes up to look at her. She could see that barely contained fire. Remembering the way his hands had bruised her body the night before, Bella couldn't help herself. She ground her hips up against him. Rodolphus cursed beneath his breath.

"We don't have time," he said, moving away from her.

Bella chuckled beneath her breath. "I don't remember it taking that long," she commented, tugging the blankets up to her chest again and laying across the bed. She watched as Rodolphus crossed the room toward his clothes. He turned quickly to face her.

"Make no mistake of it," he said, his signature grin flashing her way. "I have every intention of savoring every last inch of you the next time I take you." He zipped his pants up and crossed toward her, his shirt tossed over his shoulder. He leaned down, taking her face in his hand and pressing a hard kiss to her lips. "I plan on making you scream very, very loud, for a very, very long time." A shiver went down her spine at the promise. He released his grip on her face. "Get dressed."

"Where are we going?" Bella asked, rolling onto her back to forget the way her traitorous body had reacted to his promise.

"We have a meeting with _him_."

Bella couldn't quite make out what was in his tone, and when she looked over, his back was to her. "Why? We don't have anything new to report."

"When he calls a meeting, we show up. We don't question. Remember that." He went about buttoning his shirt.

As she climbed down from the bed, Bella noticed her clothes haphazardly strewn about the room. The buttons on her shirt had popped off and the skirt was in no form to wear for a meeting with the dark lord. She grabbed her wand and tapped it against the wrinkled fabric, transforming it into a simple black, long sleeved dress. That would do well. Bella slipped into the dress silently.

"I know why you kissed me last night," Rodolphus said as she shoved her feet into her shoes.

"Oh? And why's that?" Bella questioned, hiding the smirk from him by staring at herself in the mirror.

"To give your sister a chance to get away."

The nerve of him to suggest that. She snapped, turning toward him. "Oh? You think so?"

Rodolphus was seated in a chair, tying the laces of his shoes. "You need to be careful around her—"

"If you honestly think that I kissed you for her benefit, then you truly don't understand me," Bella said, crossing the room in quick strides. "Had you killed that wretched girl, your head would be on the line per pure blood law. You're no good to me dead." He turned to look at her, blue eyes barely concealing the desire in them. She straddled him on the chair and pressed a hard kiss against his lips, making a point of running her hands through his hair and tugging at it hard. When Bella pulled her lips away, she leaned in close to his ear. "I did it for you, love."

Bella moved quickly from his lap, knowing that if she didn't, they'd never leave this room. A wicked grin crossed his lips. "I rather like this side of you, Trixie. Maybe I should bed you every night."

* * *

The ramshackle house was located somewhere in the Scottish countryside. A small cemetery surrounded it and, father off, there was a church at the crest of a hill. It seemed like an odd place for a meeting, especially when there were much grander venues they could use.

"Wipe that look off of your face," Rodolphus hissed as they approached the wooden building.

Bella tried to school her features into cool indifference. She couldn't help but think this place was a little…beneath them. "Did he invite the others?"

"No," he said, using his wand to unlock the door. He stuck his head inside before grabbing her by the hand and tugging her in behind him. It took a moment for her eyes to adjust. The only light was a fire in the hearth. A large armchair was before it. She could only see the profile of the person sitting there, but she knew in an instant that it was him. The rest of the room was bare, save a simple bed and a small table. Was he staying here? Of all the places he could go…

"Ah," Lord Voldemort said, pushing up from the chair and turning to face them. He looked…different than he had before. There was something about the texture of his skin that seemed waxier. As he moved toward them, she could see the red in his eyes was darker. Without thinking, Bella entwined her hand with Rodolphus's. "My protégés." He extended his hands on either side and smiled at them.

"My lord," Rodolphus said, bowing his head in reverence.

"My lord," Bella echoed, bowing as well, but not letting Rodolphus's hand go.

"Your reports have been discouraging, Lestrange. Tell me what's happened." All business, then. Bella liked that about him. He didn't dally around with false kindness or pleasantries. She respected that. Voldemort crossed the room to the hearth, where she hadn't realized a kettle was being warmed. As Rodolphus began to speak, the Dark Lord…made himself a cup of tea.

"Bella has been digging inside of Hogwarts to find out more about the girl. Where she sleeps. Her classes. Who she spends her time with," Rodolphus said. "While she's been doing that, I've been researching her family history as you instructed."

"Did you find anything?"

"Yes, my lord. Her father is still alive. I sent Nott last night to contain him in his home in America until I can make the journey to retrieve him here."

"Good, very good," Voldemort said, turning to Bella. He gave her a smile that sent an ice cold chill down her spine. It was the same smile he'd given her the night of the party. "And you, Bella?"

"Very little," she said, focusing on the contact between she and her fiancé. She didn't like that stare. "I have managed to see her only a few times. Each time, I can never quite follow her to where she is going. I have, however, managed to influence one of the Gryffindors to our side. He is impressionable. Easily persuaded. I convinced him to feed me information in exchange for meeting my powerful friends."

"The boy is not very intelligent, my lord, but he has the right connections. We did discover that traitor Sirius Black is hiding her, but the boy didn't know where. We intend to find that out."

Voldemort showed the smallest hint of curiosity. "Exactly _how_ do you intend to do so?"

Rodolphus nudged her with his elbow, encouraging her to speak. "The boy is going to arrange a chance meeting of sorts. He's going to suggest that Sirius accompany him to Hogsmeade. Sirius has already followed me around the castle, so I'm going to give him a reason to follow me into the Shrieking Shack in the village, where Rodolphus will be waiting. We will torture the information out of him if we have to."

The room fell silent as the dark lord sipped at his tea. He seemed to be mulling over the information, carefully coming to his own conclusions. "And if that doesn't work?"

"My lord," Rodolphus said, "Dumbledore has the castle well guarded. It will take time to figure a way to get me—"

"The masquerade ball," Bella said suddenly, glancing up at him with diamonds in her eyes. "Hogwarts is throwing a masquerade ball for Halloween. I'm allowed to bring a date, and since we're engaged, they can hardly tell me no."

The dark lord seemed pleased. "Let's try to make contact with Cromwell before this event," he said, setting his teacup and saucer down on a small stool in front of the chair. "I would rather not alert Dumbledore to our intentions before I'm ready." He fell silent, lost to his thoughts for a brief moment. "Do you need more men?"

"No, my lord, I believe we are well equipped to handle the task," Rodolphus said with a quick bow of his head.

"Good. I would like to make something clear to the both of you. Quinn Cromwell is not to be harmed, under any circumstances. You are to make contact with her to determine if she would be sympathetic to our cause. A girl with her ability would be valuable, no doubt. Am I clear?"

Bella lowered her gaze. "Yes, my lord." They echoed at the same time.

Voldemort shifted, taking a step in Bella's direction. Rodolphus gripped onto her hand tighter. "I must say, Bellatrix, I quite enjoyed your birthday party. I look forward to the day you wed." And to make his point, he stared directly into Rodolphus's eyes, challenging him to say anything. A smile curved across the dark lord's mouth a moment later. Bella felt her heart nearly stop in her chest. "You may go. Next time I call for you, you better have something good to report."

* * *

Bella managed to get a message to Peter about the plan. They needed to get on top of this situation, and quickly. Unfortunately, the boy replied that he wouldn't be able to get Sirius out of the castle until next week at the earliest, as her impudent cousin had other things to do. Time was not something that she had much of.

So instead of sitting around the common room, sulking, Bella took the opportunity to blow off some steam. She made her way up to the first floor corridor in search of someone to play a little game with. First year, seventh year, she didn't really care. She just needed to get rid of the energy that had already begun to pent up. She thought that after fucking her fiancé that she might be able to find peaceful sleep within the walls of the castle, but she'd found no such luck.

The door to the library opened quietly, which was curious. Bella knew it was far after closing. She pressed her back against the wall, checking back the way she'd come to see if there was anyone else in the corridor. As it happened, there wasn't.

Wand at the ready, she peered around the statue she was using as a hiding spot and found… Her eyes widened. Red hair. There was no way in hell she was _that_ lucky. The girl moved quickly toward the stairway, and Bella followed, ducking behind objects in the corridor. She waited a breath before moving to the staircase, keeping to the shadows and using her wand to extinguish the lit lanterns on the levels around the girl as they ascended.

Quinn's pace picked up the higher they got. Bella was grateful for the darkness as she followed the girl from the staircase and to the seventh floor, where she effectively extinguished the lanterns. Bella flicked her wand, making the girl drop the heavy books she'd been carrying. Her heart was racing. This could be the moment they'd waited for. "Hello, love," she said in a low, ominous voice from behind the girl.

Red hair fell across Quinn's face as she looked up at Bella, obvious fear in her eyes. _Yes_. Bella thought. _Yes, you should be afraid._

"Wh-what do you want?"

Bella wasn't sure if the girl recognized her from that day in the bathroom, but that didn't really matter now. She wouldn't lose this opportunity. Not again. "Awfully late, isn't it, for such a pretty young girl to be out?" She took slow, purposeful steps, circling the girl until she stood in the direction of the main corridor, where no doubt Quinn would run to her common room. Or wherever it was that she was headed.

"Actually, yes," Quinn said, gathering her books. "It is rather late. I should be going. You know, just…burning the midnight oil. Studying." The words were forced as they came from between the girl's lips.

As Quinn moved to stand, Bella lifted her wand. "Not so fast," she said in a low voice, her lips curling up into a wicked smile. "You forgot your books!" She flicked her wand, forcing the books to stack together and hurtle towards the girl's face. Quinn dropped to the floor to avoid the impact.

"I don't know who you are, but leave me alone!" Quinn lifted her gaze to look up at Bella, and something crossed her features. Something like disgust.

Bella laughed. "Now why would I want to do that?" She questioned, sauntering over to the girl's prone form. She gripped Kate by the back of her head, forcing her to her feet and pressing her wand tip to the girl's throat. "You're apparently all the rage these days, and I needed to know what all of the fuss was about." She kept her voice low, even. She'd tortured twice now, and she felt that familiar need for blood.

"M-me? Definitely not. I think you have the wrong girl—"

A cry hurled from between Quinn's lips as Bella yanked her head back roughly.

"Please," she whimpered.

That was when Bella felt something sharp pressed to her own throat. "Back off, bitch," a male voice growled. _Sirius_. She thought. A smile curled at the corners of her mouth.

"Now why would I do that?" She questioned.

The knife was pressed more tightly against her throat. She felt it break the skin and a tell tale drop of blood began to trickle down her neck. _Ballsy._

"Fine," she growled, removing her hand from the girl's hair. He pulled the knife away from her neck. That was his first mistake. " _Accio_ knife," Bella cast. The knife flew from his hand and into hers. " _Diffindo!_ " She cast at the girl, who ducked once more to miss the spell.

Bella turned to face Quinn's protector, but what she saw made her blood run cold. Before her stood not Sirius, but a boy she recognized. His blonde hair was buzzed short. He wore long pants and a long shirt to cover the scars she knew would mar his legs and arms. His skin was colorless. Beneath his eyes were dark circles. She kept her wand trained on Cromwell as Cole Stuart lifted his own to focus on her.

"I thought you'd be dead," Bella spat at him. "You look like it, at least." She watched his eyes shift between her and Cromwell. "Go away, Stuart, you don't want to be a part of this."

"C-Cole, get out of here. Don't do this."

Bella had been so preoccupied that she hadn't noticed the blood coming from Quinn's mouth. She coughed, spitting blood onto the stone floor.

"Leave her alone. She's done nothing to you." His eyes moved to Quinn. Bella thought she saw them soften. "Don't worry about me. She won't do anything. She can't. She's _weak_ without Rodolphus." He cocked an eyebrow at her.

That sent fire through her blood. "I don't need him," she growled.

"Let her go, Bellatrix, and I won't have to hurt you." His voice was low. As opposed to the last time she'd seen him, his eyes were filled with dark intent. She turned toward Quinn and kicked the girl hard in the side, sending her sputtering onto the concrete floor once more.

"Just leave, Cole," Quinn begged between coughs.

Then Cole rushed Bella, using his height and the full force of his weight to knock her into the stone wall. Her head cracked against it, momentarily setting her off course. She stumbled, trying not to lose her footing. As the corridor reformed around her, she saw Cole kneeling next to Quinn, looking at her with tender eyes.

"Oh, isn't this cute?" Bella called. "Reconciled lovers." She pouted out her bottom lip. "How does it make you feel to know that Quinn is the entire reason that you were tortured?" She shifted her gaze to look at the girl, whose skin had gone pale. "And that _now_ , she's fucking my cousin Sirius."

Something passed across Cole's features. He stood to his full height, glaring at Bella. "I swear to Merlin, Bella, if you don't get the fuck out of here right now, I will do what you and your wretched _fiancé_ failed to do that night." His wand was at the ready.

Bella glanced down at Quinn but immediately back to Cole. He had a crazed look in his eyes. A look she fully recognized. If she didn't go now, someone was going to die tonight. She couldn't afford Cromwell's blood on her hands just yet.

"This isn't over, Stuart," she growled.

No. It was far from over. This was only the beginning.

How had Stuart survived? The last she heard, he was in a coma. Now he was back at Hogwarts? Someone had some explaining to do as to why she wasn't informed of this little development. Whoever Rodolphus had left position at St. Mungo's had obviously abandoned their post.

As she made her way down the dark staircase, Bella lifted a hand to the blood at her neck. That wretch had spilled _her_ blood. She would make him pay for it. Two-fold.

* * *

"He was supposed to be _dead_!" Bella screeched at her fiancé a short while later. She'd been so angry that she'd left the castle in search of Rodolphus. She had all of this pent-up energy and this was the only way that she knew to exert it.

Her aforementioned fiancé merely closed his eyes, rubbing them with his thumb and forefinger. He let out a long breath. "Trixie—"

"It's taken care of! Isn't that what you said to me?" She said, stepping up to him, refusing to bow.

Rodolphus opened his eyes, trailing her features with them. When he spied the barely clotted cut on her throat, a dark expression crossed his face. "He did that to you?"

Bella lifted her eyebrows. "What? _Now_ you're concerned? You _should have told me!_ That boy could destroy us both. All it takes is one word to Dumbledore, a few memories carefully picked from his mind, and the two of us are being toted off to Azkaban."

"He was never left alone. The boy resurfaced from a coma a few weeks ago."

"And that explains what, exactly?" She questioned, incredulous. "That you failed in securing our safety. You _failed_. He managed to sneak up on me in the corridor while I was talking to—" She stopped herself suddenly, remembering the way blood had trickled down the girl's chin. Her nostrils flared and she glared at him.

"Do we have to do this right now?" He asked. "I have a headache."

"You _are_ a headache." She was furious. But even her weak attempt at an insult didn't seem to phase him.

"We'll handle the boy at the first opportunity, but he isn't a priority." Rodolphus stalked past her, toward the table and, presumably, a drink.

"Not a priority?!" She yelled at his back.

"No," he said, turning to her with two glasses in his hands. He offered one to her. She snapped it from his hand and downed the liquor in one go, biting back the burn. "Cromwell is the priority. We can't lose sight of that. How did he manage to sneak up on you?"

Bella hesitated, averting her gaze to the bland painting on the wall of his room. "I was…wandering the halls."

"You're a shit liar. Tell me."

She gripped the glass so tightly in her hand that she thought it might crack beneath the pressure. "I don't have to tell you anything."

"No, you don't. But I suspect you don't want to tell me because you're ashamed of yourself."

"Ashamed?" She gaped at him.

"You had to be up to something for that boy to sneak up on you. You're usually hard to trick, Trixie. Tell me." She could see the impatience in his eyes.

"I was having a little fun with one of the Gryffindor students. I needed to burn off some steam. That's all." She set the glass down on the table beside him and crossed her arms over her chest. "Which I wouldn't have to do if I wasn't locked up in that forsaken castle all of the time. I think I've proved myself enough for a field mission. Actually _doing_ something."

Rodolphus gripped her by the arm and stepped toward her. "Let me make myself very clear," he said in a low, even tone. "You haven't proven yourself yet. Not to me, certainly not to the Dark Lord. Secure this meeting with your cousin and subsequent meeting with Cromwell, then we'll revisit this conversation."

A terse standoff ensued. Bella glared while Rodolphus gave her a bored expression. He lifted a finger and ran it along the thin red line on her throat. "And then we'll handle this boy who dared harm my fiancé." There was a fire in his eyes, one that she was certain only she could see. Whatever it was between them had been ramped up.

And now that Bellatrix had had a taste of him, she didn't know if she could resist. He pressed his lips to hers in a searing kiss.

That was all it took for her to lose herself once more in the man she'd sworn to hate for eternity.


End file.
